Diamond in the Rough
by Dan Song
Summary: Mason Ishi isn't like normal kids. Sure he has two parents who've raised him well, but that doesn't always help. His father being blamed for a huge tragedy and branded a criminal, he has never had a chance to be just "himself". Until he has an idea. There's one way he can be his own person and not the son of a villain. U.A. High. A place where he can forge his own path.
1. Chapter 1: Season 1 Start

My name is Mason Ishi, and well... I'm not exactly what you would call an upstanding person. If I had to describe myself I'd say I'm the kind of guy who didn't have a dad to give a school paper to on father's day. There were only two days in the whole year I got to even see, hell, talk, to my father. It wasn't the fact he was one of those Dad's who was always working, it was different.

He was in jail. He was a villain and I saw his son coming to tell him the news that was going to either make him approve of me or have consequences I didn't want to happen.

To describe my dad, he was the bodybuilder type. The kids in my class would say "He's like a wrestler!" and the like. He had blonde hair like me, and was also responsible for the Japanese side of me, while my mother was Native American.

I walked in the doors to the jail and was greeted by the lady at the front desk.

"Ah Mason, here to see Mr. Ishi? You do know that you only get two visitation days a year right?" She said in an upbeat tone for a police officer. Her eyes then widened as the feathers that made up her hair began to ruffle up. "Wait did something happen to your mother? Oh I hope she's-"

"Mrs. Aoki, it's okay. It's actually for a whole other reason. I wanted to tell him as soon as possible. Just means I'll have to forget visiting him for Christmas as usual." I said, attempting to make the situation a bit more positive.

"Well then, be on your way then. I'm sure you know the way there, yes?"

"That I do." I went left and began to walk up the

I waved to some of the inmates who came to know me. The son of Terrarizer, the villain who almost destroyed a whole city. If only they knew the whole thing before saying stuff like that. Then again I couldn't really say anything to counter that. I stopped once I reached cell two-two-three.

As soon I stepped in I was met with the usually reinforced glass with metal bars behind it. Deep down I knew that would be nothing for my Dad, not with his Quirk. Though him being in jail was more of a personal thing than the law itself. I looked to see his well nearly bald head and scruffy face go from surprise to worry.

I walked up and waved. He got up from where he was sitting and then spoke.

"So kiddo... How's it been? You ace that test of yours?" He asked, his voice deep as ever.

"Yeah. Straight A's as ever." I chuckled awkwardly.

"Good. Got your mom's smarts, and... my guts. So, how come you visit me now? Thought you weren't gonna for another few months or so. It ain't Skylar is it?" He asked, just as worried as Mrs. Aoki.

"No, Mom's fine. Though I do have some news." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the form and put it on the glass for my dad to see. "Take a look. I did it."

There was silence for a few minutes until he spoke up. He took in a deep breath and then walked away. He paced around his cell. I prepared myself for the backlash that was going to be him wondering how I could ever choose to be what put him in this cell.

A hero.

He walked back to the glass and had his trademark big dumb smile on his face.

"You really did it didn't ya?"

I nodded.

"Well... I'm really considering breaking these bars and this glass to come over there and majorly... Give ya a hug. I'm proud of ya son."

I smiled that big dumb smile as well. "Yeah. I'm going into U.A. I'm gonna be a hero, my own person."

"There ya go kiddo! That's what I wanna hear! Now, remember. This ain't gonna easy. Your Quirk is a strong one I'll admit that, but it doesn't mean you'll be one right away. You got three long years ahead of you, and don't waver on your path. Got it?" He asked.

"Don't worry, I'll make it. The orientation and stuff is two weeks from now, and I've been making sure to train hard. Mom's been helping as well."

"Glad to hear it. Remember though." His tone changed to serious and cold. "That face of yours isn't of the son of Terrarizer, it's the face of the guy who's gonna leave them in the dust. Show them what ya got. Show them the face that's gonna leave them in the ground."

I give him firm look and turned around to leave. "I will. I'll leave them in the ground all right, but only because _I_ want to."

* * *

I threw another knife at the target in our back yard, barely missing the bull's eye. I put out my hand, the sharpened rock removing itself from the target and coming back into my hand. I held my left hand over the pile of rocks next to me, one flying into my hand and breaking apart until it was a perfect clone of the stone knife.

I threw both and then called them back. I continued the process until my arms became painfully tired from the exercise. My mom watched as I practiced using my Quirk, Rock Star, which was basically allowed me to control earth. What I was doing now was simply one part of my ability.

I had the ability to control sand, dirt, and stone. I could lift chunks using my mind, or make weapons by causing it to reshape itself. I could even cause the ground to break up and form walls or armor for myself. My mom had been helping me prepare for U.A. It was one of the best hero academies in Japan, and I needed to get in. The form was one step. Now I had to show them what I could do.

I took the two stone knives, each the size of my forearms, and put them together. They were like clay in my hands as I sculpted them into a spear. I practiced with it getting the usual feel going having the weapon in my hands. Out of the ways to use my Quirk, this was my favorite. Being able to have any weapon on hand and be prepared for any situation was perfect if I planned on being a hero.

There were probably going to be a good number of people going to U.A. who had reasons to be a hero. Fame, money, respect. Hell, I wouldn't have been surprised if some of them were kids of some heroes. I wasn't sure what the entrance exam was going to be, all I knew was everyone would be clamoring to get it.

So that meant I had to get in no matter what.

"Ever hard at work Mason?"

I turned around to see my mom bring over a bottle of water. Her skin was a light tan, and her black hair was in braids as usual."Yeah, can't skip out on training. Also, I don't want to show off too much." I took the bottle and started to drink.

"True... You might be able to control the earth around you, but as we've seen that limits your movement. I don't really know how they do it Japan, but some academies back in the states have an exam where you use your Quirk in a battle situation. You seem to be quite capable of making weapons though."

She then took one of the rocks and began molding it like it was clay. Once she had made it into a knife shape, she threw it, getting a perfect bull's eye.

The thing about Quirks is they could be inherited, depending on the person. It would be hard to explain the science, but basically if you one parent with a Quirk you might get that one. Now if you had two, you'd get one of the other. Or in my case, a combination of the two.

My mother's Quirk was called "Shape". She could take any material and shape it into an object of her liking. Such as a knife, staff, or the like. It wasn't limited to stone though. She could use it on metal, wood, and stone.

Then you had my father's Quirk. I could never really understood how he used it, but it was more or less the majority of my Quirk. He could telekinetically control anything earth based. He could lift a chunk of rock from the ground, even break it apart with a single thought. Together with their Quirks they made up mine, allowing me to create anything out of stone, and control it as well. Though my range wasn't like my father's, and I could only shape stone, dirt, and sand.

"Yeah, that seems to be my go to right now. Unless I can think of some way to make it so I could move faster while controlling the area around me, I might need to take those classes Mr. Kamina suggested." I said after taking a deep drink.

"Those would help, but I think you're plenty good. There's still plenty of weapons you could use. Knives, spears, swords, hammers, maces, the list goes on. The only thing holding you back is your worry about being taken advantage of while controlling the area around you. So long as you can defend yourself, you'll be fine."

"You think so? I mean by all accounts my Quirk is powerful, but it's got a massive weakness."

She then chuckled. "Son, there's no such as thing as a weakness. What you call a weakness I call a strength in training. Now come on in, dinner's ready."

As she walked by she took her hand and ruffled my sandy blonde hair. I smiled before looking at the target and taking one of the stone knives and threw it. I watched as it landed in a perfect bull's eye.

I walked inside, my esteem a little bit higher and anxious to take a shower after being outside for the past five hours.

* * *

 _One day before the entrance exam..._

I had decided to go on an early morning walk. It was six-thirty in the morning, and Sunday, which meant tomorrow I'd be taking my first step into possibly becoming a hero. I put on my usual hoodie and sweatpants. I pushed up my sleeves past my forearms and grabbed a bottle of water before heading out.

I didn't bother waking up my mom. Knowing her she'd probably be asleep until nine or so. I wasn't sure if she knew that I always went on a walk around town. it brought a special kind of peace to me, and if I was lucky to see a fight, well, even better.

I got on my boots and headed out, quietly closing the door before taking a nice walk around the Shizuoka Prefecture. I took in a nice deep breath of the cool morning air. It was nice.

Sadly being out in public meant I couldn't practice with my Quirk. Due to certain laws, use of Quirks in public spaces was illegal unless you were a hero trying to detain a criminal or the sort. Then again I didn't think that'd it be a good idea for me to use it, seeing as I'd have to take a piece of the ground to do anything. I continued to pass the beach, the wreckage seeming to disappear day by day. It seemed either the city was finally cleaning up the beach, or someone finally started doing it themselves.

As I walked by I saw a green-haired boy go past me, a determined look in his eyes. I didn't know what he was going to do, but he damn sure was going to do it. Was he possibly training for the entrance exam as well? I decided to not worry about it and continued my walk.

It was a good walk. Some of the people who knew me from school or shop owners would wave at me or smile. I was known for walking around town a lot. Usually, because I either ran errands for my mom or wanted to get to know the city. If possible, I wanted to find a local agency so I could protect where I was raised.

I looked at my watch, seeing it was now seven-forty-five am. Half of my time was up until my mom would get up, so I turned on my heel and began to go back home. As I was about to turn I then bumped into someone, causing me to fall onto the ground.

I then saw I had bumped into a girl, my hand on the ground, I instinctively made it rise to steady her. She looked shocked as the ground rose up and formed into a chair for her to land in. I got up and looked to see she had dropped something in a long container of cloth. I picked it up and handed it to her as she got out of the stone chair.

"Here, you dropped this," I said, looking at her long black hair and violet eyes.

She took it and bowed. "Thank you! I'm sorry for bumping into you like! I was in a hurry and-" She began to say in a somewhat quiet voice.

I smiled. "It's okay. Things like that just happen. If anything I should've looked over my shoulder before turning." I tapped my foot against the ground, causing the chair to melt back into the sidewalk. As I did that, My eyes then went wide with realization.

"Shit! I'm not supposed to use my Quirk in public! Why did you do that Mason? Now you're gonna end up going to jail before even getting to become a hero!"

I continued to ramble on about how much I had messed up while the girl seemed to be quiet before letting out a small laugh. I was confused as to why she was laughing, and then started to as well at how idiotic the whole thing was. Now that I looked at her I could see she had black hair and almost violet-colored eyes.

They were sort of entrancing as I looked at them. I stopped myself feeling it was weird looking at her eyes for so long. She'd probably think I was some sort of creep. We both stood there for an awkward second before finally talking.

"Hey uh-" We both said at the same time. "No, you talk first! No, YOU!" Seeing both of us were both nervous we stayed there for another few seconds before I took a deep breath and spoke again.

"Hey, wanna get something to eat at the cafe?"

* * *

We sat across from each other in a booth seat at the cafe. We had both ordered a cup of green tea with lemon. I was currently eating a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwich while she had some sort of pastry with cream drizzled on it. It looked like a circle with smaller ones in it.

"So... My name is Mason, what's yours?" I asked, trying to break the ice.

"I-I'm Hanakabe. Just call me H-Hana though. It's less trouble saying my whole name." She said a bit shyly, with a nervous laugh at the end.

We once again became silent. I took another bite of my sandwich and took another sip of tea.

"Thanks for ear-earlier. I should've watched where I was going and all. Don't worry though, I won't say anything about you using y-your Q-Quirk. It seems very useful, something a Hero would use." She said.

"Yeah. I might be fourteen, but I haven't found all the uses for it yet. Though I don't want to really say much about it."

She nodded. "Same. I prefer to keep mine a bit s-secret as w-well."

"I mean becoming a hero seems to be the thing nowadays, right? I've always kinda found it cool, but I think it's more than just fame or a way to make money. My Quirk should be used to help people." I said.

"I a-agree. Do you plan on becoming a hero?" She asked me.

"Well I mean, I'd like to if possible," I said a little embarrassed. "I mean my Quirk _is_ 'hero material' right?"

"I think so. I mean you went out of your way to stop me from falling. I feel that says a lot about you as a person in general." Hana said before taking a sip of tea. She quickly put it down and then covered her mouth. "Ow... Forgot it was still hot..." I chuckled a little which earned me a look from her. "Don't laugh! I burned my tongue... Ow..."

"I'm sorry. It was just a little unexpected is all. You seem so shy and refined, seeing you react like that was a bit unexpected."

"Doesn't give you the right to laugh..."

"Come on don't be like that. Now I feel like a jerk, hate this feeling." I said, mocking a defeated tone.

"Good! That's what you get for laughing at someone in pain." She then stuck her head up to the side.

"Anything I can do to make up for it?" I asked.

"Hm..." She thought for a moment. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Okay, what is it?"

She looked at me and smiled. "You tell me how you have such a good tan. I just usually burn. What do you use?"

* * *

After some eating and chatting, we ended up going our separate ways. It had been a nice talk, but she said she needed to go meet some of her friends before the week started back up for school. I watched as the black haired girl walked down the street, the long bag slung over her right shoulder and moving every now and then.

I turned around and started heading home. Looking at my watch I saw I spent more time on this walk than usual, meaning I'd either be asked "what took you so long", or the one line all teenage boys hated.

 _"Who is she?"_ I could almost hear my mother say.

As I faintly blushed and smiled a little bit like the idiot I was. Yeah, I already knew that was exactly what she was going to say as soon as I walked in. I usually just had a morning walk and was back home to have a _good_ breakfast. Yet something about Hana felt good. I had no clue what it was though.

Something about today just felt different for some reason. To me, it felt like something was about to happen that was going to change the world on a giant scale. It wasn't like the "calm before the storm" or anything, but it might as well have been. The air seemed to be charged with every good feeling possible. I tried finding out what made today so special as I passed the beachfront, noticeably less garbage around. I then glimpsed the same green-haired boy from this morning.

He was clearing away to make it clean. There was a giant pile of the already cleared bit, having more added to it by the load he had just been carrying. Seeing it made me think of how I'd been training, and the fact tomorrow was going to decide it all.

I continued my way home. Once I reached the door I took out my keys and unlocked the door, walking in to see Mom sitting right there at the table drinking some tea, a pleased look on her face.

"So... Who was she?" She said with a sly smile growing on her face.

* * *

 **A/N: And thus a new story unfolds! Now is the time to watch as our young hero becomes well... A hero.**

 **Here it is guys, the new project I'll be working on for the time being until RWBY starts up again. Or once we get a release date. This here is my official Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) fanfic! Where I plan to go with this story, only time will tell. So say hello to Mason Ishi, our brave protagonist. I also plan on giving some info on the OCs that will be in the particular story. Will it be on a scale of Midnight? I don't know.**

 **OC info!**

 **Name: Mason Ishi**

 **Age: 15**

 **Height: 5' 11"**

 **Weight: 134 lb.**

 **Eye color: Green**

 **Hair color: Sandy blonde**

 **Nationality: Half Native American, Half Japanese**

 **Quirk: Earth Manipulation. Allows him to fully manipulate all earth based materials such as stone, sand, and dirt. He can only manipulate a 25-foot area around himself, but can also turn sand or dirt into stone, and also create weapons out of stone.**


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as my alarm sounded off I rolled out of bed and onto the floor, using my hands to make sure my face didn't hit the floor. A big smile grew on my face as my whole body became awake in anticipation. I had been waiting for this day for a long time.

I quickly dressed in my training clothes, a muscle shirt, and some sweat pants. I tied my boots and ate a quick breakfast of some eggs and toast. My mom was awake as well, just as excited as I was. She was already in her clothes for work. If there were one thing me and my mom shared being mother and son, was that we both got easily excited over events like these.

After all, today was going to decide my future as a whole. U.A. didn't have a high acceptance rate, only taking the best of the best. Quirk-wise I was skilled enough, but I had no clue what the actual entrance exam would be.

I didn't care though, I planned to give it my all and show how much of a hero I wanted to be. As soon as the eggs were done I put some toast in the toaster and waited for it to be done. I needed to make sure my body was ready for any scenario the exam would put me in. Sure I could manipulate dirt, sand, stone, and the like.

Unlike most though I didn't have full control of it. Make a few rocks float and shoot at someone? Sure.

Make a stone wall to defend me? Check.

As for causing the whole ground to break apart... Work in progress.

Shaking my head I forgot about the things I couldn't do. I'd play it safe and do what I knew I could control. Yesterday wasn't much of a control though, more of an instinct to help someone. I was a good-natured kid, something I was told a lot growing up. Still, that kind of instinct could get in trouble with the law and such.

"Do good today, okay Mason?" My mom said to me.

I swallowed the food in my mouth and nodded. "I plan on it."

After I was finished I put on a sweatshirt over my muscle shirt to protect myself from the cold morning air that came with the seasons changing. As I made my way past the beach I took a second look to see the green-haired guy from yesterday still moving debris from the beach.

Whoever that kid was, he was one hell of a person. The beach was cleaner than it ever had been before, the sun clearly shining on the sand. Having grown up here near the Shizuoka Prefecture, it brought a bit of a smile to my face with how one person managed to do with such determination.

I was going to need just as much today depending on what the entrance exam was. Seeing as it was one of the best Hero Academies out there, it was definitely going to be one that truly tested people on not just abilities, but on being a hero as well. There were going to be hundreds, if not thousands of people who were going to be trying to get and become a hero. Some for money, others for popularity, maybe the special few that wanted to make a difference.

All I knew was I wanted to show I wasn't just the son of a criminal. I was _going_ to show them who I was. I continued my way down, my face made into one of determination.

Time to show people what I got.

* * *

Some of the trees on my way were still a bit barren with the spring weather beginning to set in finally. Seems I'd have to forgo my usual t-shirts soon for longer sleeves until it warmed up a bit more. That thought also reminded me to have something like that installed into my costume if I did become a hero.

I was right on one thing though, there was a hell of an amount of people here for the entrance exam. The very building we were going in was so big that it made me question what kind of test we were going to be put through. Surely with this amount of people, something that was going to extremely cut the amount that would be even accepted in the first place. U.A. was said to have only a two percent acceptance rate after all...

U.A. was said to have only a two percent acceptance rate after all...

Deciding to now worry about my chances, I continued my way in. I saw three doors, each numbered one through three. I went through number two since it was the middle one and I usually walked in the middle of the street most times.

As soon as I entered I saw signs already pointing to what had to be the orientation. I followed them and saw just how big the auditorium was. Holy cow, it might as well had been a concert hall like in of those movies with opera scenes in them. I looked around for a place to sit and saw a girl with pink skin waving at me.

I took my finger and pointed at myself, looking at her for confirmation. I saw her smile and nod, patting a chair next to her. It was a free seat, so I made my way over and sat down next to her. Besides her pink skin and messy hair, her eyes gave me a raccoon feel. The usual whites were black, and the irises were yellow. That and she was sporting a pair of horns on her head.

"Um... Thanks for the getting me a seat..." I said, not sure of what to really say.

"No problem! You looked kinda lost and there was one right here, so I thought I'd save ya! That and there wasn't really anyone here to talk to..." She ended on a seemingly sad note. She then smiled. "Anyhow, isn't this exciting? Can't wait to be a hero! Wonder what the exam is. Hope it isn't something like a boring school test though, that'd be really boring."

All I have to say, not even five minutes and already I seemed to have found someone to easily talk to. Her cheerfulness was contagious and was almost making my face crack into a slight smile. Add the fact she looked a bit like a raccoon, and I might've asked her out on different circumstances.

I combed my finger through my sandy blonde hair, trying to keep it out my eyes. "You got me there, really suck if we had to do that. By the way, not sure if we'll both pass, but in case what's your name?" I asked.

She looked at me with that smiling face of hers. "Ashido. What's yours?"

Now for the hard part. You see unlike America where my mom was from, Japan had a custom of calling people by their last names rather than first. This meant I could one, say my first name Mason, or two, my surname Ishi. One was the more formal way, the other was more of an intimate one. By that, I mean only friends or family members ever called them by their first names.

I was about to answer when she cut me off. "Oh wait, are you a foreigner? Then I guess you could give me your first name if that's more comfortable. You seem to really know your Japanese well though." She said once again smiling.

"Thanks," I said. "My name is Mason. Or you could call me Ishi- Whichever is easier!"

"I think I'll call you Mason. Don't get any ideas though just because I'm calling you by your first name!" She said while jokingly laughing.

I was about to say something to counter that when the lights turned off, and the ones on stage turned on. The blue screen showed the U.A. crest and what seemed to be rock music began to play. The overall feel of it all felt familiar...

"What's up U.A. candidates! Thanks for tuning into me, your school DJ! Come on and let me hear ya!" Said a very, excited voice. From here I could see the speaker had spiked up blonde hair colored like mine and dressed in black leather. By looking at him I knew that he was pretty much what people would call a rock star. The room stayed silent as he seemed to listen in. "Keeping it mellow huh? That's fine I'll skip to the main show.

From here I could see the speaker had spiked up blonde hair colored like mine and dressed in black leather. By looking at him I knew that he was pretty much what people would call a rock star. The room stayed silent as he seemed to listen in.

"Keeping it mellow huh? That's fine I'll skip to the main show. Let's talk about how this practical exam is gonna go down okay? ARE YOU READY?! YEAH!" He ended with exactly what a rock star usually would before a concert. The music playing seemed to kick up a little bit. "Like your application said you boys and girls will be conducting ten-minute mock battles in suburban settings!"

At this, my eyes went wide. We were going to be able to... FIGHT?! My whole body was teeming with excitement. Sadly I hadn't read through most of the application, just signing what had to be signed. Ashino seemed just as happy with what was going on.

"Yes! You hear that Mason? No boring test! We get to show what we got!" She cheered.

I then looked back to see the screen change to what seemed to be the auditorium, and then separate areas each lettered A through G.

"After I drop the mic here you will head to your specified battle centers! Sound good?" He asked, once again met with silence. "OKAY!"

I took the time and looked at the card I had been given. It had my name, my exam number, and then test location. I looked to see I was put into C. Ashido peeked at mine over my shoulder and sighed with relief.

"Phew, seems we're both in the same area. Still, we shouldn't try to team up though. It'd be better if we actually got through this by ourselves rather than mooching off each other huh?"

"Yeah. As they say, nothing better than an honorable victory." I said, making her nod in agreement.

"Okay okay let's check out your targets!" The figure on stage said. "There are three types of faux villains in every battle center. You'll earn points based on their level of difficulty so you better choose wisely! Your goal in this trial is to use your Quirk to raise your score by shredding these faux villains like a mid-song guitar solo! But check it, make sure you're keeping things heroic. Attacking other examinees is a U.A., no no you dig?"

"Excuse me sir, but I have a question!" Said a boy, standing up hand raised.

"Hit me!"

"On the printout, you've listed four types of villains, not three." Oh no, he was one those types. "With all respect, if this an error on official U.A. materials, it is shameful. We are exemplary students. We expect the best from Japan's most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do. Additionally you with the unkempt hair," He then pointed to someone in on of the rows behind him. "you've been muttering this entire time, stop that. If you can't bother to take this seriously leave. You're distracting the rest of us." He said with an almost threatening tone. God, I hated people like him who were uptight and all discipline. Some people even laughed at the poor guy who had been called out.

"Alright, alright, examinee number seven-one-one-one, thanks for calling in with your request!" The guy said like a radio host. "The fourth villain type is worth... Zero points! that guy's just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way. There's one in every battle center, so think of it as more a hurdle to try and avoid. it's not that it can't be beaten, there's just no point too! I recommend my listeners try and ignore and aim for being top of the charts!"

The boy with dark hair and a tan uniform bowed respectfully before sitting back down. "Thank you very much, please, continue."

My mindset was drawing a similarity between smashing robots and gaining points to something I did in a video game once. Then again depending on how many robots there were, and how strong their armor was I could easily chuck a few a few stones in them here and there.

Ashido was very interested in the whole thing. The again, fighting robots was a common hero trope in some comics. My eyes then wandered downwards to see her... generous bust. I quickly focused back on the speaker.

 _Mason, no! No time for thinking about that stuff. Pass, then talk to her and get to know her if she passes as well, and... Hope your face doesn't get too red for her to notice._

"Hey, Mason you okay? You look a little red in the face for some reason."

I looked the other way in embarrassment. "Uh-Um- No reason! Just a little warm in here is all!"

"Oh, okay. Maybe if you took off that long sleeve shirt you'd be good." The pink skinned girl said.

"Not exactly a good idea right now... My training clothes are underneath..."

"Nevermind then, keep it on. Don't want to show off those muscles huh?"

 _Ashido... Please for the love of All Might stop!_ I silently screamed in my head. We both turned our attention to the speaker.

"That's all I got for you today! I'll sign off with a little present, a sample of our school motto! As General Napolean Bonaparte once laid down, 'a true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes'. Mmmm hmmm, now that's a tasty salad bite!" He then got close to the mic. "Now, you ready to go beyond? Now let's hear a Plus Ultra! Good luck! Hope you practiced more than hitting just books."

* * *

I waited outside the giant door leading into the battle center with all the others assigned to letter C. As I waited, I stretched for what was going to define my future. This was it, this was going to be my moment to go and show who I was as a person. That I was willing to be a hero and give it my all.

Numerous other people were either doing the same, sweating furiously, or felt confident in their abilities. I flexed my hands, feeling the ground shift around a bit under me. Ashido stood beside me, practically shaking with excitement.

"This is gonna be awesome! There are some cool Quirks here too! Look! That's guys got a bird head! And that other guy has some weird octopus arms things!"

It was hard to try and not laugh at her cheerfulness. She was practically all over the place so much I began to think her Quirk was superspeed. My eyes began to wander around, seeing her reaction was maybe a bit justified.

My eyes continued to wander until they settled on a somewhat familiar sight. A girl with dark hair put into a long ponytail, in clothing a jogger would usually wear when out running. I walked up to see if my theory was right. And if so...

My feet brought me over to her, and I tapped her shoulder. "Fancy seeing you here."

She quickly turned around, and her eyes widened as if she saw a ghost. "M-M-M- Mason?!" She shouted while stuttering.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's chapter two down for you guys! Might I also add you guys SMASHED that last one! 186 views, and over 10-11 faves and follows... That's a quicker growth than any of my stories. Also wasn't sure how you guys were gonna like a BNHA OC story, but seems a lot of you guys like it. Now for the newly developed thingie! Also make sure to check out a drawing I did of him on my DeviantArt, DanSong. Stinks that links don't work on this... Anyhow, come on "listening" Singers! Hehehe.**

 **Also, thank you Pokemonking0924 for the review. I had the idea of Mason being half Native-American and Half-Japanese due to the idea of his name showing what his Quirk is, "ishi" meaning stone. So, his name basically means "Stonemason". As for who Hana is, you're about to see, as for her Quirk, let's just say it has to do with her bag she had. I do plan on revealing why his father became a villain, as for the teasing, well, let's just say there ain't a girl his mother hasn't liked he's made friends with.**

 **Next time on _Diamond in the Rough._**

 **"I'm not just some son of a villain, I'm a damn human being who's gonna show you what I am!"**

 **"G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-Girlfriend!?"**

 **"So, that's why you did it... Guess you are a Hero..."**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: YOU KNOW WHAT. SCREW IT. YOU GUY'S HAVE EARNED IT. SAY HELLO TO A DAN SONG DOUBLE FEATURE! PLUUUUS ULTRAAAAA!**

 **Don't worry though, ya still get one on Friday. It's gonna be a long one, and get hyped for chapter five people!**

* * *

"M-M-M-Mason?!" Hana shouted when she turned around to see me standing there.

"Well, seems this is quite the coincidence huh?" I said as I stretched my right arm.

"S-s-seems so. I mean I know I said your Quirk was fit for a hero, but to think you were actually going to apply- T- that's quite surprising..."

"Heeey! Who's this? A friend?" Ashido said as she strolled over. "Or maybe... A girlfriend?" She said in a teasing tone.

"G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-GIRLFRIEND!?" Hana shouted as her face flushed red like a stop light.

Then again, my face was red due to anger. "It's not like that! We just had breakfast and tea yesterday is all! Don't get any thoughts in there Ashido!" I practically snarled.

She continued to have a sly smile on her face. "Don't worry, I know all about 'breakfast and tea'. You two talk, I'll give ya lovebirds some room for now."

I was considering whether or not to show off my Quirk right now to prove a point, while Hana stood there blushing and embarrassed. I decided to take it out on the robots and more or less comfort her.

"Hey Hana, you good?"

She shook her head and the nodded. "Y-yeah. It was just sudden is all. I mean don't get me wrong you are good looking it's just-Uh- I'll stop talking now!" She then looked down once she was done talking her quiet voice.

I put my hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I get it. So, you're up for being a hero as well? To be honest, I'm actually kinda surprised."

She looked up and nodded. "Yeah. I wanna be a hero, you know, save and keep people safe. Don't know about the way they're doing this practical exam though, I don't really agree with it."

"Why's that?" I asked confused.

"Well sure this is good for physical types, but what those who can make illusions or read minds? It's not fair for them." As she spoke she seemed to be angry. Was she clenching her fist?

"True now that I think about it. But hey," I leaned in so I could speak in Hana's ear. "If you happen to be one of those types, I'll send a few your way." I stepped back and winked.

She stood there, mouth open in shock and her face heating up. She looked down and fidgeted with her hands. "Y-you don't have to... You should focus on-"

"Screw that! Everyone should get a chance at this! Plus the world needs more people like you, I mean you're so sweet and nice who could not try and help you. Trust me, I got your back." I stood there for a few seconds in a somewhat righteous pose. "But do not worry! I am here! OHOHOHOHO!" I said, trying to do my best All Might impression.

She stood there shocked for a good few seconds until she burst out laughing. She then lightly punched me in the chest. "Why- Is that- So good?!" She said in between laughing. Yesterday I had done the same exact impression, and she said it was pretty good.

The sound of a horn then sounded, drawing our attention to a tall tower that had what seemed to be the proctor for this specific area. The figure had what seemed to be an almost skull-like helmet with a trench coat outfit.

I instantly recognized him as Ectoplasm, a pro hero that was quite known. His quirk allowed him to make clones of himself that could fight just as well as he could. He had gone to U.A. as well, and I only knew about him through, well, I'm sure you can take a guess or two as to how. I wouldn't be surprised with my dad's record if I was being watched by the school in case I "got any ideas".

I was sure as hell going to show them.

"The practical exam shall begin! Get moving and get scoring!" He said.

I looked behind me to see the door open up and other people flooding in. I took my arms threw them behind me, causing the ground to shoot me up into the air and over them. I curled into a ball and threw my left in front of me, causing that area to soften up a bit. I rolled and then got back to running down the two-lane street.

They weren't kidding about "super suburban" setting. The area was basically a whole city. They either had someone with a good Quirk to make this place or a hell lot of money to use for whatever they needed. Then again, U.A. was the best of the best, so that could be it.

The sounds of feet thundered behind me as everyone seemed to be catching up to me. I saw Ashido slide by me, a trail of slime in her wake. I thought about trying to use it too until I saw it eating through the concrete and asphalt. That wasn't slime, it was acid. I smiled at seeing how she was using her Quirk. Others seemed to be doing similar things to move around. It was then I saw what looked one of the faux villains we were supposed to fight.

One of the first things I noticed was the white number "ones" on either arm. In a way, it reminded me of a mantis with how the arms were shaped. As soon as I brought myself back to focus I punched forward, a few pieces of rock shooting out from the ground and slicing into it. I then placed my foot down to create a wall next to me as another went in to strike me while I wasn't paying attention. I then pushed forward with both hands, making the wall shoot forward and crush it.

So far that was two points for me, but I needed more. I ran around looking for any that I could snag or a group I could isolate. I held my hand out, a chunk of concrete flying into my hand. I run my hands around it, shaping it into a spear I could use for any other encounters.

All around me people were either scrambling to get points, or currently obliterating them. I'd yet to see Ashido or Hana yet with all the chaos. My eyes caught a three-pointer and two two-pointers. I rushed at them with my spear, cutting into the two-pointers while I spun around and threw the spear, controlling the stone weapon as to hit what I hoped was where its vital wiring was. An explosion from its one red eye was enough to put a smile on my face.

Nine points in the bag, and yet once again barely enough. I could've gotten this done faster if not for the sheer amount of people, and the close proximity of buildings. A pink blur went by me shocking me a bit.

"Mason! Behind you!" I heard Ashido's voice shout out.

I looked behind to see seven separate faux villains, each varying in the points they would award. They were scrambling after Ashido, not knowing she had led them to me. I wanted to ask why exactly she had done this but decided to simply take the gift she had brought. Getting in my stance I brought my fist back for a punch.

Getting in my stance I brought my fist back for a punch. I stabbed forward with it, causing the ground to spike up, impaling them. Those that weren't were hit by my other hand moving pieces of rock to smash into them. The sound of rocks crushing the metal like a tin can was music to my ears.

My eyes looked at each of the robots, adding up all the points I had scored. Once I was done I concluded I now had about thirty points or so, somewhere around there. I turned around to see if Ashido was there, only to see a burn mark of sorts from the acid she used. It seemed that's all I'd be able to rack up due to the lack of available faux villains. I tried to run around and look for more, hoping to see at least maybe a one-pointer.

I was about to head down a street when I was met with the ground shaking. My eyes widened with what I was looking at. the very size of the robot told me to run, which I did. Well, that's exaggerating. I turned around and walked away from the street.

Then I ran.

Everyone else had the same idea. This must've been the fourth type the rock star had been talking about. I remembered his words of it giving no points, and it was more of an obstacle to avoid if anything. Other began to run as well, not daring to look back. My mind was set on one thing, which was to run from danger.

The area where we had first begun was in sight, about twenty-five feet or so away. From here I could probably use my Quirk to launch me like I did earlier. I was about to put myself into motion when I looked back to see a familiar person in the path of the giant faux villain.

I didn't know why it happened, but it did. My head turned to look behind me for some reason, and as I realized who the person was my mind changed gears. Turning around on my heel, I changed direction and ran towards Hana, my whole body beginning to fill with adrenaline. I then threw my hands behind me as I did nine minutes ago, launching me forward as the ground lifted like a spring-board.

At the sound of me crashing near her, she turned around to see me, her eyes that were filled with fear beginning to tear up. What was this feeling? Why did this feel oh so familiar? It was then it hit me. This was just like yesterday when we met when I had bumped into her. My whole body seemed to know what to do.

I ran in front of her, the robot about a good fifteen feet away. The very ground seemed to come alive as I got into my usual stance I used for defense. Some would've thought I was going to make a wall, but they would be wrong. I focused on every single thing people had said about me.

He's got a Quirk just like his father. Guess like father like son huh?

You, be a hero? As if! You're a son of a damn villain! They'd be insane to let you into U.A.!

I bet you want to tear down this place just to make a point, but can't because of your daddy huh?

Scum!

Freak!

Son of a criminal!

All these flashed through my mind, each just another bullet in the "gun" I was about to fire. I didn't care that my father- My dad- Had been a villain. He did it because mom needed it, not that those rich pricks would understand.

I took my hands and brought them into position, slamming them into the ground. My whole body screamed in pain at the strenuous gambit I was taking, but it was worth it as my whole being screamed one single thing to those who had mocked and looked down on me.

I'm not just some son of a villain, I'm a damn human being who's gonna show you what I am! Someone who's got the actual damn drive to be a hero! So mock me, kick me down, spit on me, it doesn't matter! Because in the end, I'm going to show you who the fuck I am!

"I'M MASON- FUCKING- ISHI! BRING IT ON MOTHERFUCKER!" I shouted as I slammed my hands down onto the ground in front of me.

The next thing anyone would've seen was the ground underneath the robot's front foot lifting up, tipping the mechanical titan over like a little toy. To see something like that felt empowering for the few seconds that I had left for consciousness. I stumbled over to Hana and kneeled down, exhausted.

"You... Okay...?" I asked, my breathing heavy.

"Yeah, but what about you? You look-"

"I'm... Gonna be fine... Just a... Little... Tired..." I then laid on the ground next to her and heard the sound of footsteps running over. Quite a few actually.

"Why did you save me? You could've just run and you'd be fine!" Hana asked me.

"Because... I wanted to. You were in danger... And I acted... Like I should have..."

The black haired girl wiped her eyes and put her hand on my numb shoulder, now that I thought about it, my whole body was numb. "So that's why you did it... Guess you are a hero... Mason Ishi."

Familiar yellow and black eyes looked into mine as I began to drift off, turning me onto my back. Ashido's eyes stared into mine and were filled with a few tears seeing me down on the ground, seemingly defeated.

"Are you okay?! I saw you running towards the robot and then there was there was a giant crash and-" I put my finger to her mouth to stop her, using my thumb to wipe some tears from her eyes, getting a confused look from her.

"I'm fine... Just... REALLY damn tired. Also, mind carrying me in about five seconds? Cause I'm about to catch a couple Z'szzzzzzzzzz..." That was the last thing I said for about an hour as I passed out from overusing my power.

A Little note- Over usage of my Earth Manipulation can lead to headaches, sore muscles, and in the most extreme cases- like right now- major fatigue. I wasn't sure if I was going to pass with how I conked out after saving Hana, but it was worth it.

Even if in the end I was given an earful from not just those two, but my mother as well. Didn't help that with all of this, my mom decided to prod around with which one was my girlfriend. If not for the fact we were inside, I might've broken something.

* * *

 **A/N: And another one gone, and another one gone, and another one bites the dust!**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Okay, I know the joke is bad, but hey, good song. And that my friends is chapter three of Diamond in the Rough. I gotta say I'm on a roll with these things. No rocky starts either! Have to say though, this thing has been nothing but good vibes for my writing. The fact when I'm in school my fingers are in a typing position makes me smile inside.**

 **Now for reviews so far!**

 **Pokemonking0924: Thanks for reviewing man, and hell yeah Mason was pumped. Who wouldn't be? As for how he met Ashido, I liked the idea of her cheerful attitude playing into the fact she likes to be social and didn't see anyone familiar. Culture wise you're gonna see quite some creative ideas, though I don't want to say much more. I'm glad I got you more interested in Hana, and I'm a say as her creator, this could've almost become OCxOC real quick. And come on, we all know someone who has- or in the rare case one is reading this- are- that one mom who teases their kid when it comes to dating or crushing.**

 **Now for the preview! Roll three lines!**

 **"Well, seems this might be interesting..."**

 **"HOLY MARY-ANN-SUE I SAW YOU THE MORNING ON THE BEACH!"**

 **"You're telling me... I just did that all that... Becuase YOU LIED SO WE'D GO ALL OUT!?"**

 **Yeah, next week Mason may not be happy about Aizawa's little lie we've seen... Make sure to tune in next week and not get hit by the stone projectiles!**


	4. Chapter 4

It had been three days after the exam and the acceptance letter had not come in yet. Right now I was simply laying down in my bed, looking at the ceiling with how bored I was. My mom hadn't let me do any training after the little scare I had given her with the entrance exam.

By scare though, I mean she almost could've ripped my ear off with how much she had been pulling on it. Didn't help that Ashido and Hanakabe had been there as well, fueling the fire even more. I could barely remember how many times I had to apologize for my mom's light teasing of thinking one of them was my girlfriend or even had a crush on me. They seemed to understand it though for the most part.

After my passing out, I had been taken into Recovery Girl, the school's own nurse's office. It hadn't been so much of physical damage but more of I had tried to work beyond my limits. After all, my dad had been more of the one to make the ground rise up like that.

We had been told we'd get our letters soon, but not how soon that would be. There had been a great number of people after all, and each had to be observed and looked at. Not to mention I hadn't particularly scored high with the number of points I got.

I sat up and decided to head over to my desk with my laptop on it. Once I had logged in I went into my saved documents and recorded down in my "Quirk Journal" as I liked to call it. It was filled with all the information I had on my Quirk, training routines, and any growth I had. The last entry had been about three months ago when I began to experiment with controlling stone weapons and how I could, in theory, use them like a boomerang and have them return to my hand after throwing them.

My finger made swirls in the stone desk, making designs in it as I wondered what else I could add. What? That I stayed conscious ten seconds longer than usual when trying to move the ground like that? It didn't really seem that important to me.

Personally, it'd be embarrassing for me, even if I was the only one who read this thing.

While this was going through my head I heard footsteps running up the stairs. I got up to go open the door so that way my mom wouldn't accidentally shape it as she knocked. I opened it up and saw my mom sliding down the hallway, her sandy hair still in its morning bun.

"MAAAASON! IT'S HERE! IT IS HERE!" She began to say in American. That usually happened when she got excited, same with my dad. They both reverted to their mother tongues whenever excited or angry. I was glad this was the former. "Well? Are you gonna open it or what?!" She asked.

"Calm down mom, of course, I am. Just need to sit down first."

I got over to my desk and shut my laptop. I looked at the letter, the red wax seal unopened. Part of me felt like tearing it open right then and there to get it over with. Yet this was also going to determine my life. One small letter on my desk... I bet all the others had the same thoughts in their mind.

"C'mon, just open it. No matter what happens, just know I'll still support you." My mom said. She took her fist and put it in front of me. "Got team Ishi right?" She said with a cheesy smile. I smiled right back and gave her a fist bump.

"Go, team, Ishi."

I opened up the letter, only for not a paper document to come out, but instead a little button like device. I and my mom both made the same sound of confusion as we looked at it, and the same sound of pain as it turned on with a bright flash. We weren't very big fans of bright lights.

"Well hello there! FOR I AM- Huh what's the problem here?" I heard a man's voice say. I blinked a few times before pointing at the small projection device.

"For bright ideas, that sure isn't a good one," I said, looking at the blonde, very muscled Asian man with a giant smile and V-like hair.

"Ah, stared right into it didn't you? I remember making a mistake like that once. Had to fight the whole fight with my eyes closed! Now back to business! Mason Ishi, I am here to inform you of the results of your entrance exam into U.A.! Why the great All Might you ask? Because I am going to be teaching here! Teaching students such as you!"

My eyes widened at that last bit. My mom gasped. "You mean he-"

"That is correct Mrs. Ishi! Your son isn't just getting this to tell him he got into U.A.! You, my dear, are about to become a proud mother of one of the Heroes of tomorrow! Mason Ishi, you may think that we only score based on how many points are earned by simply fighting robots, but there is much, much more to it. Tell me, what is it you did that made you pass out?" All Might asked me. "The answer is you saved young Kennagasa when she could not move. You ran in there and saved her, as any hero would! How could we not give credit for something like this? The answer is we do! There are Villain and Hero points! Alone you'd only have about thirty or so, but with your act of heroism, it put you within the top eleven! Young sir," He said before taking a dramatic pause. " Welcome Mason, you are as of now... A student of U.A. and a hero of tomorrow! Congratulations!"

* * *

You are, as of now... A student of U.A. and a hero of tomorrow!

Those words kept on repeating in my head like a favorite song as I slept after me and my mom ordered some pizza to celebrate. My mom had cried a good bit after hearing it, while all I could do was smile. I did it.

"I actually fucking did it," I said aloud. "I got in."

It had taken forever for my adrenaline to die down enough to finally get comfortable in my bed. I could barely believe that this was true, that I was actually about to go to a school that only accepted the best of the best. I could hear my dad shouting in his cell, probably happy.

My eyes looked at my clock, the time being a bit after midnight. After vacation was over I wouldn't have a single moment at all to rest. I'd be constantly competing and trying to become a hero. Seems I'd finally be able to show who I was after all.

It then crossed my mind if Ashido or Hana got in. Hopefully, they did, or else I'd be needing to find friends or play my classic loner card. It was how I'd gotten by the past few years since the incident.

I then closed my eyes, and let the warmth of blanket carry me into sleep. I was about to turn my light off when something caught my eye. It was in black and looked like... Numbers?! I nearly shouted my head off as I saw who had signed it. Damn it Ashido, because of you, my heart wasn't gonna let me get any sleep tonight. On my hand was her number, along with a simple line of "call me".

* * *

Once April rolled around the school year began for those of us going to U.A. To say I wasn't nervous would be lying, I was nervous to the point of accidentally using my Quirk to make the ground break up a bit.

I was about to go into a school full of people who were going to be Heroes, me being one of them. I carried on though as I walked down my way to the Academy. This is what I needed to do. How else was I going to show who I truly was and what kind of person I was?

My feet carried my through the doors, and into the school. I didn't see many people, and all I knew was I made it into class 1-A of the hero course, which good in my case. There were two hero course classes, each supposed to have at least twenty students each. There was Class 1-A and Class 1-B. I had no clue who my homeroom teacher was going to be, but I did know that today was going to be orientation. I stopped in front of the door, the thing almost reaching the ceiling.

Well, at least they were being considerate for those who might have Gigantification Quirks. I opened the door, only to be met by a student in the U.A. uniform with glasses and dark, neatly combed hair.

"Ah, another fellow student! My name is Tenya Iida, and I look forward to working alongside you as future Heroes!" He said, using his hands as he spoke.

"Uh, yeah I look forward to working with you too um,- Tenya? Iida?" I said unsurely. Why couldn't they just make it easy for me and say whether their first or last name was okay?

"My apologies. Seems you must be the one Miss Ashido was talking about! Simply call me Iida... I'm sorry but I didn't catch your name? Or did you say and I didn't pay attention?"

"It's okay, Iida. My name is Mason Ishi, you can call me Ishi or Mason." I said trying to not make him feel disappointed in himself. I then realized something. "Wait... Aren't you that guy from the entrance exam who was asking about why there were four faux villain types when only three were described?" I asked.

He stiffened up. "Yes. I was glad I did or we'd all have gotten a nice surprise from-"

"MASON!" I heard two familiar voices say as they rushed into me. I fell against the wall, a little shocked.

I looked to Hanakabe and Ashido having tackled me into the wall. The familiar black hair and the pinkish skin of the other were a bit comforting. I attempted to get up, making some of the walls behind me to form a little hand-holding to support me. I then had it melt back in, getting a little reaction from Iida.

"I advise you watch yourself, Mr. Ishi. I do not know what sort of relationship you have with these two, but remember we are in one of the top academies in the country! We must at least have some shame and respect!" He said.

Mina then pouted. "Come on! I haven't gotten to see him in forever! Same with Hana! Last we saw him he passed out in the entrance exam."

This once again caused Iida to stiffen. "What happened to him?! I mean I remember one boy severely injuring himself, but what did you do Ishi?" He asked me.

"Well uh..." I scratched the back of my head a bit embarrassed. "Let's just say there were certain conditions that forced me to go a bit further with my Quirk than normal... Also, we've been talking pretty much once a week since after the exam through the phone." I added in.

"The 'condition' being this gal right here," Ashido said with a sly smile as she moved her head in Hana's direction.

"Y-yeah. He saved me during the pr-practical exam." She said nervously.

"Ah, I see. A familiar thing happened during mine where a boy had saved a girl as well. I was in area B."

"Us three were in C. We also got to meet Mason's mom afterward as well. She was a bit nice, though she did tease him a bit seeing as we were there with him for the whole hour he was out." Ashido added.

"Well then, I at least ask yo act respectively while here. We are to be the Heroes of tomorrow after all and should act as such. Now, let us wait for the others to show up. I know there should more arriving soon." Iida said.

I went over to an open desk and sat down, setting my bag next to me. "Yeah, let's wait. Can't wait to see who I'll be working with for the next three years." I began to relax in the chair, and for some reason, it felt extremely comfortable.

I began to relax in the chair, and for some reason, it felt extremely comfortable.

Before I knew it, I fell asleep in class, when the class hadn't even started yet.

* * *

"Take your feet off of that desk now!" I heard Iida shout, getting me out of my surprise sleep. I looked around confused to see him arguing with some blonde spiky-haired boy with a smug smile on his face.

"Huh?" He said sarcastically. Great, a smug asshole. This was gonna be good.

"It's the first day and you're already disrespecting this Academy by scuffing school property, you cretin!"

"You're kidding me right?" The student said, catching Iida off-guard. "Your school put a stick up your ass or something, or were you born with it?"

Iida recomposed himself as I got up and walked over, to the open door, a green haired boy- Wait. Green hair?

"Let's start over I'm Tenya Iida from Somei Private Academy."

'"SWEET MARY-ANNE-SUE IT'S YOU FROM THAT MORNING AT THE BEACH!" I said as I walked over, surprised to see the kid who had cleaned up the beach.

"Wait- Huh!?" He said with a surprised look on his face. "Wait! You're that kid in my neighborhood who's always on those morning jogs! So if you're here then that means-"

"It's him." I turned to see Iida rushing over.

"What do you mean him? You've met this guy too?" Everyone focused their attention on him, and I could tell he wasn't used to this sort of thing. Even Hana was looking at him.

U-um... Hiii!" He said nervously.

Yup, he wasn't used to this one bit.

"Good morning!" Iida said to him as he walked over. "My name is Tenya Iida-"

"Yeah, I know!" He said putting his hands up to stop him. "I'm I-Izuku Midoriya. It's super nice to meet you."

"Midoriya... You realized there was something more to the practical exam didn't you?"

I looked from Iida to Izuku. "Huh?!"

"You must be very perceptive, and I completely misjudged you. I admit, as a student, you're far superior to me."

I was about to speak when a new voice entered the fray. "Hey, I recognize that messed up hair!"

At this point, I decided to simply go over Ashido and sit against the wall. "Wake me up when everything makes sense please..." I said sadly.

She simply put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry, you just got those waking up feelings. Plus you got all of the orientation to fully wake up, right Hana?"

"R-right!" She said. "Though I'm still surprised you fell asleep so quickly. Did you not get much sleep last night?"

I shook my head. "No, I had to find all my bags and stuff so I had it for school. But hey," I said before sitting up straight. "At least we're all in the same class."

"If you're only here to make friends then you can pack up your stuff now." I heard an older, deeper face say. I bolted straight up, wondering if our homeroom teacher was finally here. "Welcome to U.A.'s Hero Course." I then saw the person the voice belong to step in, and my heart sank.

The man had long black hair, a scarf wrapped around his neck. His eyes had bags under them and looked strained as if he was tired. his face had some visible stubble from shaving and a small mustache. I had seen this man once in my life when I was a kid.

"It took eight seconds before you all shut up that's not gonna work. Time is precious. Rational students would understand that." He then looked at everyone in the classroom, giving me a minor nod. "Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa, your teacher." He then reached into... A sleeping bag? "Right let's get to it. Put these on and head outside." He said as he held in his hand what seemed to be a gym uniform. I was red, white, and blue, familiar American colors.

Looks like life wasn't going to be stale one bit. Rather. it was going to full of surprises.

* * *

I was surprised when he told us we were going to have a Quirk assessment test. Then again, it was a good move on his part. He'd get to see what it is exactly we were capable of doing. I cracked my knuckles at the thought of showing what I could do.

"But orientation, we're gonna miss it!" One of the girls said in front, she had brown hair and was short.

"If you really want to make the big leagues, you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies." Him saying this shocked some of the students, but made me smile. "Here at U.A., we're not tethered to traditions. That means I get to run my class, however, I see fit." He turned around and looked at all of us. "You've been taking standardized test all of your lives," He then pulled out a phone-like device. "But you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before. The country is still trying to pretend that we're all created equal by not letting those with the most power excel. It's not rational. One day the ministry of education will learn. Bakugo," He looked at the student with blonde spiky hair Iida had been arguing with. "you managed to get the most points on the entrance exam. What was your farthest distance throw with a softball in junior high?"

Bakugo nodded. "Sixty-seven meters I think."

"Right, try doing it with your Quirk," Aizawa said s he handed him a softball. Bakugo walked over to the circle to pitch. "Anything goes just stay in the circle. Go on, you're wasting our time."

He then stretched his arms. "Alright man, you asked for it." He then took a step and threw it, an explosion coming off his hand, propelling it through the air. Seems he had a Quirks with a multiple of uses too.

"All of you need to know your maximum capabilities." He turned around and showed us the device, the number reading seven-hundred-five point five meters. "It's the most rational thing to do."

After seeing the number we all were surprised. While they talked I thought about what I was going to do. Sure I could control earth-based materials, but how that work with throwing a ball? I mean there was one ace in my sleeve at all times, but that wouldn't work.

"I wanna go that looks like fun!" Ashido said, snapping me out of my tactic mode.

"So this looks fun, huh?" Aizawa said. "You have three years here to become a Hero. You think it's all gonna be fun and play time? Idiots." He said with a smile. "Today you'll be competing in eight physical test to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none, and will be expelled immediately."

As soon as those words left his mouth, the stakes had now risen. I looked down at the ground, the sand beginning to move a bit underneath. Seems this place wasn't the top school for nothing. It was either start getting down to business and winning, or go home and say goodbye to your dreams.

"Like I said, I get to decide how this class runs. Understand? If that's a problem you can head home right now."

"You can't send one of us home!" The girl with brown hair said. "I mean, we just got here! Even if it wasn't the first day that just isn't fair!"

Listen, you may think that, but he's got another thing coming. I said silently.

"Oh, and you think natural disasters are? Or power-hungry villains, hm? Or catastrophic incidents that wipe out whole cities? No. The world is full of unfairness. It's a Hero's job to try and combat that unfairness. If you want to be a pro you're gonna have to try and push yourself beyond that brink. For the next three years, U.A. is gonna throw one hardship after another at you. So go beyond, Plus Ultra style. Show me it's no mistake that you're here."

I smiled and began to stretch my whole body, a few pops of bones here and there. Hana jumped a bit at the sounds. This was going to be all too fun now that I thought about it. For once I could deliberately use my powers. No laws restricting me, no buildings either.

"Now then, we're just wasting time by talking. Let the games begin."

The first test was a fifty-meter dash. It was a simple straight run, something I'd done plenty of times. Now that we were able to use Quirks though, my mind thought of using the same thing I did in the entrance exam.

Below me was sand, which meant I'd either go with converting it into sandstone or turn into dirt, then stone for a better launching platform. I already knew as I saw Iida use his Quirk that first was out of the question. Seems he had a type of super-speed, which meant at best I could get second.

I go into position, the person next to me being Hana. We both looked at each other and nodded. This was either do or die metaphorically speaking. I prepared myself, and so did she. Once the sound went off to start I threw my hands and caused the sand to form into stone and launch me forward. I could see the finish line in sight, and maneuvered myself to land on my feet, only to see Hana right next to me.

"Four-point-one-nine seconds!" The robot said. We had tied, much to Aizawa's surprise.

"Well... Seems this is going to be interesting after all." He said with a smile. He then motioned for me to walk over, as the others did the test he spoke to me. "Long time no see shrimp. Now listen, just because I and your mother know each other, doesn't mean you get off easy. I will say though you've improved. Try using more than just your party tricks as well, it'd be more rational if you let loose a bit."

"Yeah, I would if that was even an option," I told him.

"Don't worry, I got my eyes on everyone. Nothing'll happen on my watch."

The net few test were a mix of good and bad scores on my part. Grip strength, Side-to-side jumping, standing long jump... It was a mix of normal and great scores. If anything at least eight of us would have some great score.

After the long jump, it was the ball throw, the same test Bakugo had done as an example. I wondered how I'd be able to use my Quirk to get it to go far. Make the ground make it bounce more? Put some dirt on it and hope for the best? Or maybe... No. That wouldn't work.

Or could it?

"Ishi, you're up," Aizawa said. I took the ball and walked over, thinking about what I could do.

Anything goes, so long as you're in the circle.

That's when an idea struck my mind. It would work, I'd just have to be careful. I tossed the ball up in the air, much to some's surprise.

"That guy forfeiting it?"

"Well, looks like we know who's going home."

"Come on show them!" I heard Ashido cheer.

Ya know, if not for those talks I'd never have thought of this. I thought to myself.

I brought my right foot back, my left forward, and punched forward with my palm open. The sand formed into a giant stone fist and shot out from the ground. Once it made contact the ball flew forward almost like a bullet. I stood back up and let it sink back in. I looked to see Aizawa simply nod.

Seems the ball had gone far enough for him to approve of how much power I put behind my punch. After all, I had studied martial arts to find a style suitable for how I used my Quirk. As I walked back over Izuku stepped up, a grim look on his face.

"If Midoriya doesn't shape up soon, he's the one going home." I heard Iida say.

"Huh? Of course, he is! He's a Quirkless loser!" Bakugo said.

Iida seemed shocked at this. "He has a Quirk! Did you not hear about what he did in the entrance exam?"

"What? huh?" Said Bakugo, just as confused.

Did he simply hide it then? I mean he did some sort of training. Has he not used it yet because of certain conditions? I wondered to myself.

Izuku seemed to stand there for a moment deep in thought. He then prepared to whip the ball. The ground seemed to become still as if some kind of force was at work. I prepared for whatever Quirk he was gonna use.

This while momentum built up. He threw it... And it didn't go that far. I wondered why until I saw Aizawa's eyes red with power. Whatever it was Izuku was going to do, it must've been dangerous to the point of making him use his Erase Quirk. Aizawa was known as the Erasure Hero Eraserhead. He had the ability to nullify one's Quirk just by looking at them.

"I Erased your Quirk." He said as he pulled on his scarf, the fabric floating in the air along with his hair on end. "The judges for the exam were not rational enough. Someone like you should not be allowed to enroll in this school."

"Wait you did what to my-" He then stepped back his eyes wide with fear. "Those goggles... I know you! You can look at someone and cancel out their powers. the Erasure Hero, Eraserhead."

He wasn't widely known, mostly because he could care less about the spotlight. He worked on the down low and wasn't one for the media or any of that. Like the usual stereotype of Heroes, he did it in because it was his job to save others and keep them safe.

"You're not ready. You don't have control over your power. Were you planning to break your bones again? Counting on someone else to save your useless body?"

"No that's not what I was trying to do-" Izuku was then pulled in by his scarf. I began to walk over, knowing this was too far even for him. I then felt a hand tighten around my arm.

"No." I looked to see it was Hana, her eyes fierce. "You know this wouldn't end well. You'd get expelled most likely." I calmed down and nodded.

I calmed down and nodded. "Right..."

"No matter what your intentions are, you'd be nothing more than a liability in battle." Aizawa continued. "You have the same reckless passion as another overzealous Hero I know. One who saved a thousand people by himself and became a legend. But even with that drive, you're still worthless if you can only throw one punch before breaking down. Sorry Midoriya, but with your power, there's no way you can become a Hero."

I had heard the whole thing, while others wondered what he had said. Unlike me, they hadn't trained their basic senses. Scent, taste, touch, and hearing. My mom had said I had a cat's hearing and a wolf's nose when it came to certain things. I just stood there, wondering what Izuku was going to do.

He went to whip it again, and the force began to make the air almost charged. My whole body could feel something about to happen. Something big. At the end of his throw a large blast of wind left from his hand, sending the ball forward into the air.

We all stood there shocked. My mouth hung open in awe at how much power was behind his throw. Once the ball landed, he turned around and looked at Aizawa.

"Mr. Aizawa... You see..." He made a fist, and I could see his finger was swollen with pain. "I'm still standing."

"Wow, he threw that over seven hundred meters!"

"Nice he's showing us his true power!"

"His finger appears to be broken, just like in the exam. His Quirk is very odd."

I was about to say something as well until I smelled smoke. My eyes turned to see Bakugo running at Izuku, murder in his eyes.

Well, seems I got no choice. I thought as I ran over, using my hand to throw up a wall to separate the two.

He stopped as he was about to hit the wall, and was restrained by Aizawa's scarf. As he was talked to I wandered over to Izuku.

"Well, didn't want to really use my Quirk on a scale like that today, seriously, what's that guy's problem?" I asked.

"He's kinda always been like that, also your Quirk... Is it some sort of Earth Manipulation?"

"Yeah, actually it is," I said smiling. "Though mine isn't as good as yours. That was a good throw, lots of power."

"Th-thanks."

"Mason, Bakugo, stand down! Don't make me use my Quirk so much. It gives me dry eye."

"Got it," I said before snapping my fingers, making the wall turn back into the sand. Izuku looked at me with an almost examining glance.

"So he can't just manipulate earth, but he can change what state it's in. something like that would be useful in infiltration..." He then began to mutter about what else my Quirk could do and possible limits. I laughed a little at how alike we were in that aspect.

"You're wasting my time now. Whoever's next can step up." He said as he walked off and let Bakugo go.

I walked with Izuku, my eyes keeping track of Bakugo in case he tried anything. The last thing I needed was to use all the cards in my deck of techniques. Once we got over the brown-haired girl hurried over to Izuku.

"Ouch is your finger okay?" She asked him, making him blush a bit. Well, seems I knew who he liked.

"Sure! Completely fine!" He said nervously.

* * *

After completing the last of the fitness test, I felt I could really go for some biscuits. Maybe even rock candy. I made my way over to the other side of the field, my body feeling like it was going to give out.

Note to self- never use Quirk to try and parkour your way through a long-distance run. It won't end well for you, or your legs.

"Alright, time to give you your results. I've decided to rank you from best to worst. You should already have a good idea of your standing already. I'll just pull up the list. It's not worth going over each individual score."

I made my way over to see I was safe. And by safe, I meant not last. My only good scores had been the run, dash, and throw. Everything was a little bit higher than in junior high. I continued to look at the list, seeing Hana had gotten higher than me, and Ashido lower. What seemed to really hurt though was the name of the person in twenty-second place, dead last.

It was Izuku.

"And I was lying no one's going home," Aizawa said.

It was at this moment I forgot about my body being in pain and my head became filled with anger.

"That was just a rational deception to make sure you give it all on your test."

I scrambled my way over, the sand swirling around me. "You're telling me... I just did that all that... Because YOU LIED SO WE'D GO ALL OUT!?" I said, anger in my voice. I then felt the sand fall down around me.

"I'm surprised the rest of you didn't figure that out. I'm sorry, I guess I should've said something." Said Momo, with her black hair in a ponytail.

"What do you mean?! We didn't know! That's vital info you could've shared!" I said.

"I said sorry. Also, you might want to calm down, the sand is looking kinda dangerous." I looked down and saw the sand had spiked up into stone. I calmed down and hang my head low.

"I just need a water, maybe three, or four," I said as I felt someone pat my back.

"Well hey, at least we didn't get expelled, right?" Ashido said.

"Right..." I then looked up at her yellow eyes. "Hey, you mind maybe at the end of the week getting together?" I asked.

"What do you mean by that!? Like a date or-"

I stood straight up and put my hands up in defense. "No not a date like maybe lunch or something! We didn't get to talk much even though you gave me your number and all and -"

She then smiled. "I know what you meant. Now come on, we got more classes to go to! By the way," She turned around and smiled. "The answer is yes ."

* * *

 **A/N:** **That was a long one holy crap! I was gonna wait and make the "special one" but hey, better never early than late! I've been on quite a roll with this chapter let me tell ya, and the views and faves, and follows on this story... You guys are awesome! PLUS ULTRA to you guys and gals! Over 800 views! I didn't even get to talk about 500 yet! Thank you, all of ya.**

 **MtheMightyTower: Thanks for the review and the reason I chose earth manipulation is it's also a favorite of mine and has a lot of versatility. Both offense, and defense wise.**

 **pokemonking0924: Got you really wondering about her Quirk huh? In due time all will be revealed, and boy will it be a reveal! I feel most were expecting Hana to show up, due to Checkov's Pistol. The real question is was Ashido's teasing just fun, or was she trying to clear if he was taken or not haha! Mason does have a lot of pent up emotions though, I mean his dad was a villain! That stuff doesn't go unnoticed! A certain arc will be used to clear up that gumption for sure. And true, gonna need to get the reason Terrarizer became Terrarizer out of the way soon.**

 **Now here's a little sneak peek as per usual!**

 **"My little boy is growing up so fast...!"**

 **"There is a problem, however! We have twenty-two students!"**

 **"There he goes!"**

 **Yeah, get ready. the hype shall begin to build as the Battle Trial arc begins!**


	5. Chapter 5

As usual on mornings I and my mom ate breakfast at the table in the living room. I happily ate my eggs and bacon while my mom ate some toast with butter on it. Usually, it was a nice and quite time where I'd cook and then we'd eat before she'd head off for work and me either school or some training.

Sadly it was not one of those times.

"So you seemed quite tired out yesterday. Was it different than you expected?" She asked.

I nodded. "I will just say if I get the chance to fight Mr. Aizawa, I will gladly take it. I was almost at my limit with some of those tests. Not to mention the whole 'last place goes home'..."

"Well, at least that turned out being a rational deception. He always did have a unique way of looking at things."

"Mom, please. I know he was a friend of you and dad, but still."

"I'm just saying! It could've been worse! you could've had to actually fight... People..."

I set down my fork and sighed. "Mom, that's gonna happen sooner or later. I can defend myself and I know when to back out from a fight. Don't worry about me, if anything don't over do it at work."

She had finished breakfast and put her dishes in the sink. "I won't. Just don't get too banged up, okay? I already have your father in jail, I don't want you in the hospital. See you later tonight as always Mason!" She said as he got her shoes on and left.

I waved as I took another bite of my eggs. "See ya mom."

I thought she had left until I saw her peek her head back inside. "Also, I'll have that money you need for your little lunch date with that Ashido girl on Sunday. My little boy is growing up so fast...!"

"Mom. It isn't a date. I just asked her because I wanted-"

"To get to know her better? Honey your father did the same thing with me, and look where it got him. I'm just saying."

"It isn't a date!" I said as she began to actually head off to work.

 _I mean... I don't exactly_ not _like her... It's just... Too early._

I decided to finish up my breakfast without giving it more thought. There were more important things to focus on like today. It'd be the first day of trying out my hero costume. The first day of hero training at U.A.

To think I had actually gotten in was still a shock to me. Yet it felt good as I got on my uniform and adjusted my shoes and shirt. I wouldn't be able to visit my dad for a while after using one of the visitation days I had. I bet he was proud though. He always wanted me to be my own person.

My body felt invigorated as usual as I plugged in my headphones and began to listen to my music. Part of me wanted to use my Quirk and launch myself into the air, but sadly that wasn't gonna happen for awhile. I continued my walking to the Academy, feeling today was gonna be different somehow.

* * *

The day flew like a slow crawl as it went by. A very slow, almost painful crawl. Sure I got to talk with some people in class, but it wasn't much. For some reason, most people in the class were either already in their own established group of friends or glancing at me for an odd reason.

I didn't want to think about it. It was probably due to me stopping Bakugo from rushing that poor Izuku guy. Sure it was a bit extra, but hey, was I just gonna stand there and let the poor guy get stomped on?

The answer is no.

After multiple classes, I was happy when lunch came around. It felt good to finally be able to eat something after breakfast being a few hours ago. As soon as I had my curry and rice I practically inhaled it. Meanwhile, Hana and Ashido sat there looking at me as if they'd seen a ghost.

"What?" I asked.

Ashido shook her head and laughed a little. "Nothing. You just seem really hungry."

"Yeah," Hana said agreeing.

"I just eat school lunches fast sometimes. For some reason, it's much different than the food I cook."

"You cook?" Ashido's eyes went wide with curiosity.

"My dad taught me. He said cooking is a skill everyone should try to learn."

"Your dad seems quite the guy then. How did he feel about you being a hero?" Ashido asked me.

"I don't know. I know he was proud I was taking my life into my own hands. though I don't see him much these days."

"H-how come?" Hana asked.

 _Crap, they just had to ask that, didn't they? This won't be easy... Damn, I hate lying..._

I tried my best to not show my emotions as I spoke. "His job kinda makes it hard. He has one of those hard office jobs where he has to travel."

"Oh! I see. I know my parents are happy I am. I mean, after all, you should enjoy life as much as you can and have fun doing it right?"

I nodded and smiled. "That's a pretty good way of thinking. Wow, Ashido."

She smiled a bit and was... Blushing? The moment was interrupted by the rush of feet and shoes squeaking on the floor. I looked behind me to see that it was Izuku, Iida, and the girl who had some kind of gravity Quirk. I remembered she had just about the best pitch.

"Hey uh, Mason was it?" I heard him say.

"Yeah. What is it?" I asked him.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you for yesterday and stuff. I mean not a lot of people would go up against Kacchan like that. Haha." He laughed a bit nervously.

"No problem. I just didn't want a fight on the first day is all. Plus you had that broken finger and all. That Quirk of yours sure is something."

"Yeah! R-really is!" He then looked down. "I still need to get used to it and all. Again, thanks. Sorry for bothering you!" He said as he walked away.

"You w-weren't really. Our conversation wasn't that important." Hana said.

I sat back down and looked at the ceiling. That Izuku kid had a look in his eyes, the same one from that time when I passed him and met Hana. It seemed like I wasn't the only one set on being a hero. That was some crazy training though.

He had cleared that whole beach, by himself. I knew it had been getting smaller and smaller by the day, but it had been picked clean. The currents always brought trash with it. Even more was people used that fact for illegally dumping trash. I had never thought he'd end up coming here though. I wasn't sure how long it was until the bell sounded for us to go to our next classes. All I wanted was to get to Hero Basic Training.

* * *

As the time quickly approached I could feel everyone was on edge. Was it going to be similar to how Mr. Azaiwa's "rational deception" was, or something a little more normal? Hopefully, something that'd be good for my Quirk. Like rescue training, or maybe sparring. So far in the day, it's only been the usual classes you'd expect from a school such a history or English.

Hana seemed nervous as all hell as she sat behind me. While on the other end of the spectrum Ashido was impatiently waiting for what we were going to next. With how long it was taking I was thinking about messing with the wall a bit.

The door then opened with a resounding slide, a familiar voice along with it.

"I am HERE! Coming through the door like a Hero!" All Might said quite loudly. He was wearing a red, white, and blue costume with a large flowing cape. I believe I saw it in a book once stating it was one of his older costumes.

The majority of students were quite excited to see him. From what I read he was the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace. He was basically what everyone wanted to be. A great role model, and had once saved over one-thousand people on his own. I wasn't one of them, I just wanted to see what we were going to do.

He made his way over, a big smile on his face. One of his known features. "Welcome to the most important class of U.A. High! think of it as Hero-ing 101! Here is where you will learn the basics of being a pro, and what it means to fight in the name of good. Today's lesson... We'll pull no punches!" He then turned around from a pose he was in, brandishing a card that plainly said "battle".

 _All Might you just saved my day..._

"Fight training!" Bakugo said just as excited as I was.

"Real combat?" Izuku asked.

"But one of the keys to being a Hero is looking good!" He pointed in back, where lockers began to come out of the wall, each numbered one through twenty-two. Were these our costumes? "These were designed for you based on your Quirk Registration Forms and the request you sent in before school started." The class was practically exploding with cheering, then again, who could blame us? "Get yourselves suited up and meet me at battleground Beta!"

"Ye, sir!" We said.

I went over to my locker, number twenty-two. I looked in, happy with what they did with my costume. Perfect protective fiber, comfortable yet durable pants, and of course, the guards for my arms. It was time to put on our costumes, ones we'd soon be known by when we became Heroes.

* * *

The energy I got from walking with everyone was almost addicting. It wasn't like when Mr. Aizawa had taken us out for our test where we didn't know what was going to happen. It was like hearing your favorite song come on, the constant buzz through your body.

That was how I felt as I walked into the battleground, one much like the entrance exam. I adjusted my red and black bracers, resembling ones a samurai might wear. My overall costume design was one meant for more allowing my body freedom. An orange and black sleeveless shirt made of a Kevlar-like material, leather pants that weren't too restrictive, and a face mask for the usual "hidden identity" some Heroes had. My steel toed boots hit the ground with each step.

Beside me was Hana, who wore a purple zip-up vest outfit with short sleeves and a skirt with sharp edges, purple leggings, and a mask around the eyes like Ashido was. On her back was a katana. Ashido wore a white mask around her eyes, a purple and green camouflage bodysuit, and a white vest with a fur collar.

I had to admit, that body suit was outlining more than it needed to for my sanity's sake.

 _No Mason, no! Focus on the fact you're going to be fighting. This is your element!_ I thought to myself, trying to not let my eyes wander over at Ashido. No way was I going to give my mom that kind of ammunition. Before I knew it we were standing before All Might in our costumes.

"They say clothes make the Pros, and you are the proof! Take this to heart, as of now you officially Heroes in Training! This is getting me all ramped up, you look so cool! Now, should we get started, you bunch of newbies?"

Ashido was practically bursting with excitement as she stood next to me. "I can't wait! Everyone looks so good! So do you Mason!"

I nodded. "Thanks. So do you. I just can't wait to finally show what I can do in a combat situation." I punched my fist against one another. "I was practically made for this stuff."

"T-to be technical your Quirk is good for just about everything. You can control the g-ground right?" Hana asked.

"Yeah, but it's more of any earth based material. Dirt, sand, stone, concrete, stuff like that."

"Why the red lines on your face though?" Ashido then asked curiously.

I pointed at them, making sure not to touch them. "Warpaint. It's a tradition sort of thing on my mom's side, and I thought it'd be cool to have."

"Now that you're ready, it's time for combat training."

We all stopped talking so we could listen. Ashido continued to look at my half covered face and the red lines that were painted on. Good thing they were water proof, it was a way of showing off my mother's ancestry, meanwhile, the bracers showed my dad's.

"Sir, this is the fake city from our entrance exam. Does this mean we'll be conducting urban battles again?" I heard Iida say, though he sounded muffled. Was he the guy in the armor?

"Not quite, I'm going to move you two steps ahead! Most of the villain fights you see take place outside. However statistically speaking encounters with the most dastardly evil-doers take place indoors. Think about it. Back room deals, home invasions, secret underground lairs. Truly intelligent villains stay hidden in the shadows. For this exercise, you'll be split into teams of good guys and bad guys. There is a problem, however! We have twenty-two students! Meaning we won't be able to do the usual two on two indoor battles, but one match will have three and three!" All Might explained.

"Isn't this a little advanced?" One of the girls asked. Her costume reminded me of a frog.

"The best training is what you get on the battlefield, but remember you can't just punch a robot this time. You're dealing with actual people now!"

"Sir, will you be deciding who wins?"

"How much do we get to hurt the other team?"

"Do we need to worry about the losers getting expelled like yesterday?"

"Will you be splitting us upon chance or comparative skill?"

"Isn't this cape tres chic?"

With all these questions I could see All Might trying to not lose it. I sympathized as I was almost losing my patience as well. That or it was simply due to so many people being within my range for my Quirk.

"I wasn't... Finished... Talking!" He said strained. He then took out a small book, well, small in his hands. "Listen up, the situation is this. The villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout! The heroes must try and foil their plans. To do that they must capture the evil-doers or recover the hidden weapon. Likewise, the bad guys win if they protect their payload or capture the heroes. Time's limited and we'll choose teams by drawing lots! There is a twist though which will be mentioned later."

"Isn't there a better way?" Iida asked.

"Think about it," Izuku said. "Pros often have to team up with Heroes from other agencies on the spot, so maybe that's the reason we're seeing that here."

"Yes, I see. Life is a random series of events." Iida then bowed. "Excuse my rudeness."

"No sweat!" All Might said to him before turning around and punching his fist into the air. "Let's draw!"

Everyone drew rather quickly. As I drew mine it wasn't like others who simply drew the same letters. Mine instead was a number. It was a simple one, and Hana showed me hers, which was a number two. We asked All Might what this was about.

He seemed to be a bit embarrassed. "I was hoping it wouldn't be you two who got it... Well just know that I'll be adding you to teams in due time. I have a system in mind!" He said rather ensuring. "For now just wait. You'll be in the three on three, just know that. Now," He reached his hands into a black box and a white box on either side of himself. One saying "hero", the other "villain".

"I declare the first to fight will be... THESE GUYS!" He said as he brought up two balls. One said team A, and the other said team D. "Team A will be the heroes, team D will be the villains."

* * *

As the two teams got ready, the rest of us were brought to what was essentially the observation room. A giant screen showed numerous rooms in the building and a timer for how long the Heroes had to get to the weapon or capture the villains. I stood by Hana and Ashido, watching as I drummed my fingers against my bracers.

"All right, let's begin the indoor combat training!" He said as he adjusted what seemed to be a microphone on his ear. "Team A, and Team D, your time starts now!" He then looked to us watching. "Now pay attention kids, think about what you would do."

My eyes kept track on the cameras, already thinking of how my Quirk could be used to enter. All I'd really have to do is shape the wall into a doorway or make footholds on the outside. Izuku and Uraraka sneaked in and continued to make their way stealthily. That was a good move when you don't know how to make your way through the building when it's a hit or miss operation.

They seemed to be doing good until Bakugo came from around the corner. He brought his hand onto the wall Izuku had been at and let of an explosion. It was a good move for both parties. Being wary of ambushes in an unfamiliar area, and using knowledge of said area against intruders.

"He almost got the jump on him!"

"A sneak attack?! That's a cheap move Bakugo!" Said a student with red, spiked up hair.

"It's a viable tactic. He's playing the part, acting as a true villain would." All Might said to the student.

"But it didn't work, Midoriya dodged it!" Ashido said. Seems the kid was quick on his feet. Maybe his Quirk was a physical enhancement-type probably?

"There he goes!" Said another.

Hearing everyone talk reminded me to get to know the people in my class better. what caught my eye though was Izuku and Bakugo rushing at each other, only for him to take the explosive Quirk user and throw him onto his back to the floor.

Seems this fight was gonna be one the class would talk about for a long while.

* * *

 **A/N: Shitaki mushrooms that view count is rising! You guys are SMASHing it! Might I also thank all you followers as well? You rock as well Listeners! Now you better get ready, cause it's approaching! Time for all this build up to finally reach up to a point I've been building to. Next chapter is going to be one of the points in Mason's story I've been looking forward to. Besides the villain invasion, sports festival (in which the anime is on freaking point with that!), and the attack at the training camp.**

 **Review Spotlight**

 **Your Dog: I have heard of Infamous Second Son and my favorite of those powers was Concrete and the Smoke one. Also... I have a dog?**

 **Pokemonking0924: Oh it's gonna be interesting alright for Mason getting to know the other 19 students. You betcha. As for how Mason knows Aizawa... Soon.**

* * *

 **Sneak a peek time!**

 **"Young Bakugo don't do it!"**

 **"Sorry, but I'm currently not allowed to go easy on you."**

 **"You're so damn thick headed! Do you have rocks for brains or something?!"**

 **Oh, All Mighty the teenage angst... Also for those reading the manga, MY BOI SUNEATER GOING IN!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey who's Bakugo talking to? I can't hear anything. We able to get any sound with this video?" The spiky red-haired student asked. I believe his name was Kirishima or the like. His face had a black mask almost like a fanged mouth wide open.

"He's got a radio in his ear so he can talk to his partner." All Might said while pointing at his own. "I gave it to him before the match started, along with a map of the building. Also this," He pulled out a small bundle of tape. "Capture tape. Wrapping this around your opponent means you've captured them, and that they're out for the rest of the game."

It made sense as I listened to All Might. The radio would allow the villains to easily coordinate as to where they were in the building. That and a map of the building gave them an edge as to where the best choke points and where the heroes would most likely enter.

"So there's a fifteen-minute time limit, and the Heroes have no clue what floor the weapon is hidden on right?" Ashido asked him.

"Correct!" All Might said in his usual boisterous voice.

"Then the Heroes are clearly at a disadvantage here."

"Real Pros have to outwit villains on a daily basis. That's life. Even if the odds aren't in our favor, we fight!"

True words from a true Hero I said to myself.

"Now all together! Let's hear a Plus Ultra!" He and the rest of the class shouted. Ashido was all for it while Hana was more or less a bit quiet with her shout. I was more focused on the battle, and so was the student next to me with the laser Quirk.

"Monsieur, he is on the move." The blonde said.

We watched as Bakugo used his Quirk to launch himself forward quickly, going for a roundhouse against Izuku. He brought up his arm in time to block it. Seeing from yesterday it seemed that he was quite impatient, going for an explosive punch.

While Bakugo seemed to have brute force, Izuku had a tactical mind like me. He had rolled out of the way once again evading an attack. I was wondering why he wasn't using his Quirk yet though. Surely he could just use a good punch to send him flying and out of the match? Or was there more to it?

"Little guy's really good!"

"He's holding his own and hasn't even used his Quirk yet!"

As soon as he was in the clear he ran off down the nearby hallway, probably to buy Uraraka more time. I wasn't any psychologist, but even I could see that Bakugo had a one-track mind when it came to a fight. Made me wonder how we'd fare in a fight against one another.

He continued to go down different hallways, taking different twist and turns. Before long we could see that he had lost Bakugo in what was essentially a maze. One of the cameras showed Bakugo shouting in anger at his situation.

"That guy has some real anger issues. It's kinda scary..." One of the students said.

I agreed. "He's definitely not focusing on the matter at hand right now. Seems he was just given the runaround."

As Bakugo went around blasting everything in sight, Izuku was hiding. The look on his face told me he was formulating some sort of plan or discarding any he had made beforehand. Sure he had a powerful Quirk, but it seemed to have a massive drawback. Unlike mine, I only had to worry about how close my opponent was when using it or what to even make for a weapon in some cases. His drawback was more physical rather than a mental toll it seemed.

Time went by quite slowly as we waited and watched for them to make any kind of move. Bakugo simply walked the halls while Izuku stayed in his hiding spot. Uraraka had made it to where the weapon was hidden. It seemed Izuku was about to go out and make a move with the Capture Tape until he looked behind him.

Standing there was Bakugo, an almost murderous feel about him. He then raised his right arm up and pulled back on the grenade-like bracers. A small pin popped up, and he prepared to pull it like an actual grenade.

All Might brought up a small microphone to speak into. "Young Bakugo don't do it! You'll kill him!" He shouted almost desperately.

He then pulled the pin, unleashing a massive explosion at Izuku. I wasn't sure how his Quirk worked, but I definitely now knew that those gauntlets somehow enhanced that ability with how much of a different there was firepower-wise. I threw my arms out to steady myself as the buildings shook.

Well, seems he has a quick fuse now doesn't he? I thought to myself.

My head snapped to see Hana holding onto one of my arms, her eyes wide. "W-What was that!?" She said terrified.

"A lot of firepower, that's what. You good?" I asked her, remembering the situation with the giant faux villain during the entrance exam.

"Yeah. I'm f-fine. Totally. Just need to settle my nerves first."

"Take your time, Mason here seems to be enjoying it," Ashido said with a smug grin on her face. "Seems you're really popular huh?"

My face reddened as I looked to see my arm was being against Hana's chest. She realized this too and blushed deeply. "Ashido!"

"What? I can't help it if he seems a bit attractive to you. I mean he does have some rather toned arms."

"Please..." I said as I pulled my mask covering my mouth up to cover my semi-bleeding nose. "No more... I think two of us are about to need help if this continues. Still, that's some crazy power behind his Quirk."

On the screen, we could see part of the building was completely destroyed. The smoke began to clear enough to see what was even going on in there. Izuku seemed to be on the ground from trying to evade the blast while Bakugo menacingly walked towards him. My fist began to tighten.

Wish this was the three on three... At least then I could offer a hand. I doubt this fight is gonna be easy, even with Izuku's Quirk.

One of the other cameras showed Uraraka was attempting to make a move for the weapon, making herself float over Iida. Though it didn't work as Iida used his speed to take the weapon out of her reach to another part of the room. From what I remembered she could manipulate an object's gravitational pull, while Iida's allowed him to run at high speeds with those "engines" in his legs.

There were two ways this battle could go. Either Iida would be able to stall for time by moving around the room, or Uraraka could find some way to touch Iida or the weapon. Either one had a high probability of happening. I definitely knew that I would use my Quirk to the best in there with the stone floor and walls.

"Sir isn't this getting out of hand? That Bakugo guy is acting real crazy. He's gonna kill him!" Kirishima said to All Might.

"Not so." He brought the small microphone up and spoke into it. "Use that stored up power again and I'll stop the fight and your team will lose. To use such a strong attack indoors is endangering the stronghold you should be protecting. That's a poor strategy, whether you're a Hero or a Villain. The penalty will be a massive loss of points."

Some of the students seemed to relax a bit, but I didn't. From the way Bakugo stood there silently, he was probably about to get in close since his long-range attack was out of the question. I was correct as he began to use his Quirk to propel himself forward, going in for hand-to-hand combat.

Deku went in for a punch, with Bakugo letting off an explosion to float over him, and then releasing one into his back. I was a bit surprised.

"What was that move?!" Kirishima said. Ashido seemed surprised by how she angled back.

"He doesn't come off as a guy with a strategy," A red and white-haired student with half his body covered in ice said. I looked at him and nodded. "But he's actually quite intelligent."

"That he certainly is, surprisingly," I said agreeing.

"What are you two talking about?" Kirishima said to us as he and Ashido both turned around to him.

"He changed his trajectory using a blast that doubled as a smokescreen. Very clever..."

"A feint attack like that requires an extreme amount of precision. He had to calculate the physics and demonstrate control over his Quirk." the girl with the ponytail said.

"Bakugo is uber talented, I hate it." Said another student. I really needed to get to know some of them better.

Both she and the other guys were right though. The fact his Quirk was powerful and he had been able to think of a move like that was beyond my expectations. It was similar to a trick of mine, but he had more maneuverability while mine was only good for a stationary offense and defense.

It seemed he could create explosions from his hands somehow. Meanwhile, all I could do was use a limited source. If there was no stone, dirt, or sand anywhere I'd be screwed in a battle. Still, I had a plan B if that was ever the case as well.

I happened to tune back in as Bakugo slammed Izuku into the ground using only his right hand. The fact he bounced off the floor from the impact made me feel conscious of my own back. Definitely, would hate to experience that in the afternoon.

"This is hard to watch, all he has to do is wrap tape around him not kill him!" Ashido said.

The bird-looking boy with a cloak around himself spoke up. "Bakugo is certainly acting like a Villain."

"I thought Midoriya was quite impressive at the start of the fight, but in terms of combat power, not to mention Bakugo seems to be a natural at this stuff."

Izuku got up and then began to make a break for it, fleeing the current area. Bakugo followed after him quite eagerly.

"He's running away!" Ashido said, a bit relieved.

"Not very manly but he doesn't have a choice, he's outgunned. Unless he's got some kind of plan. I mean it's possible." Kirishima stated.

More like it's certain. By running away he can avoid any more immediate damage and regain his thoughts. I thought to myself.

Izuku then stopped at a wall with a window looking outside and turned to face Bakugo. The explosive Quirk user made his way at his own pace, seemingly thinking he had cornered him. That wasn't the case as both charged at the other. This was going to be an all-out slugfest now.

That idea quickly died as I looked at how both got ready for what could only be a finishing blow. Bakugo's hand became red-hot while Izuku right sleeve was ripped apart up to the shoulder. There was an almost instinctive urge for me to stop it.

"They're gonna kill each other! Sir!" Kirishima said to All-Might.

"Both of you stop! "All Might said.

The next thing I knew everything came together as I watched it unfold. Uraraka grabbed onto a pillar supporting the room. The floor was blown apart as Izuku brought his arm into an uppercut, the force being the cause of the floor leaving a giant hole above where Iida and Uraraka was. The rubble floated in the air as Uraraka then lifted the pillar with ease and swung it like a giant baseball bat.

As the rubble shot at Iida Uraraka floated over him, going for the weapon. It was almost hilarious as she grabbed onto it with both hands and hung there for dear life. Never had I seen such an ingenious plan before. It made me think... Was this his plan all along? If so Izuku Midoriya was quite the adversary then. Both he and Bakugo. Strong Quirk and strong minds the both of them. The clock then ended, everyone shocked at how everything turned out.

"The Hero team WIIIIIIIIIINS!" All Might shouted with his usual cheerful voice.

* * *

After the first match, we had to relocate to another building in the center due to it being mostly destroyed. That was sugar coating it, yes, but it definitely wasn't in the condition All Might had in mind for the Battle Test for today.

Right now I was bored out of my mind as we went over the battle that occurred between teams A and D. More or less it was All Might asking what could've been done better or what was a good move. The fact we went from seeing a fight like that to now answering questions practically killed my excitement. We hadn't even gotten to the fight me and Hana were supposed to be in. I tried my best to not fall asleep.

"Well, even if I say that the MVP for this battle was Young Iida!" All Might said.

The frog looking girl spoke up. "It's not Ochako or Midoriya? Someone who won?"

"Hmm, well why is that? Does someone know why?"

"Yes, Mr. All Might!" Yaoyorozu said, raising her hand immediately. "It's because Iida adapted to the situation the most to the context of the training. From watching the match, it appears Bakugo went on his own because of an obviously personal grudge. And as Mr. All Might said earlier, it is foolish to launch a large-scale attack indoors. In the same way, taking into consideration the damage he received, Midoriya's plan was also rash. As for Uraraka, she let her guard down mid-battle and her final attack was too reckless. If she treated the papier-mache as a real weapon, she would not have been able to do something so dangerous. Iida had prepared for his opponent's arrival and assumed it would be a fight over the weapon, which made him late in responding to the final attack."

As she spoke Iida seemed to almost grinning at the praise he had received. Though for all the talk I was a bit lost in all of it. All I got from it was everyone except Iida had done the right thing for the most part. Izuku was in the nurse's office, due to that Quirk of his. Had to be a self-enhancement type.

"The hero team only won because they took advantage of the fact that this was training. They were practically breaking the rules." She finished.

I felt a nudge from the left side, to see Hana lightly jabbing me with the pommel of her katana. "Hey, you're f-falling asleep."

Yawning I stretched my arms out and then cracked my knuckles. "I'm tired, just want to get this talk over with. That match was enough for me to make money selling popcorn." I said a bit jokingly, which got a bit of a smile from her.

"W-well Young Iida also has parts of him that could be more relaxed, but well, that was correct!" All Might said, a bit surprised at what she had said.

"We must strive to devote ourselves wholeheartedly. Otherwise, we cannot become top heroes." She finished.

"Alright everyone," All Might got ready to put his hands into the two containers with balls in them with each team's assigned letter. "Now that we've changed locations let's start the second match. Tackle this training after thinking about what we just talked about." He put his hands in and took out a ball from the hero box that read "B", and a ball from the villain box that said "I".

"Match two! Team B are the Heroes, and Team I are the Villains! Now, let's start the second person-to-person combat training match!"

We got back into the observation room and watched the match begin. One of the students had what seemed to be almost webbed arms, one of the ends where a hand should be forming into an ear. The other on his team walked up, the one who was half covered in ice.

Another one of the masked one's appendages turned into a mouth and spoke to him. I didn't know what was said other than that the ice guy said something back and began heading down the hall. He then put his hand to the wall, ice quickly spreading down the hall at a rapid pace.

The masked student stepped outside, while the whole building became covered in ice. That was probably going to be the quickest match of the day. It was then that I finally began to realize the downside of having no sleeves for my vest. It wasn't easy with the cold, but bearable almost. Meanwhile, Hana was practically a popsicle. Even All Might was shivering.

"He didn't cause any damage to his teammate or the nuclear weapon, and on top of that, he weakened the enemy." He stated.

"He's so strong!"

As soon as he simply touched his hand to the weapon All Might announced the Hero team won. I was then surprised when all the ice began to melt that had gone through the building. Seems I wasn't the only one who had a neatly blended Quirk.

"What's up with that guy's Quirk?"

"As expected of someone who got in through recommendations."

I got ready to relax a bit against one of the walls as the review went on. All I knew was that the students were Shoto Todoroki, Mezo Shoji, Mashirao Ojiro, and Toru Hagakure. Toru apparently had an invisibility Quirk, the only thing showing she was even visible were her gloves and boots.

It seemed All Might was going to wait for a specific matchup before having me and Hana be added in. From what I could guess one of us would be on the Hero team, the other the Villain team. Sure it was a given, but I liked to start simple when strategizing.

Except when it came to idiots, you could never account for idiocy no matter how hard you tried.

"Now for the next pair! With a twist! The next pair will include Young Ishi and Kennagasa! And the matchup is..." He reached in and pulled them out. "Team H will be the Heroes, and Team J will be the villains! As for who is with who, anyone got a coin?"

* * *

Outside of the building preparing were me, Tokoyami and Asui. Tokoyami was the guy with a bird I came to learn, and the frog-looking girl was Asui. I adjusted my bracers and stretched, running a few scenarios in my mind.

The first step was to know what tools I had been given for the job. "So, any specifics I should know about your Quirks?" I asked.

"Mine works best in the dark, know that," Tokoyami said.

"You've probably guessed it but I'm more or less like a frog. What do you ask?" Asui asked me curiously.

I smiled before answering. "Just need to know what to base my plan on. We should have a strategy if we want this to go well. Rushing in doesn't seem it'd work well I feel."

"True," Tokoyami nodded. "What did you have in mind? I believe your Quirk is a form of earth control, yes?"

"Right. My idea was to have us go low while Asui tries to keep high on the ceiling with the Capture Tape if she has to. Now," I fixed the small mic in my ear and pulled my mask up. "We ready?"

"Yes."

"Sure am."

All Might then gave the signal to begin, and we walked in. I was glad I brought some headphones to put in my other ear. Hopefully, they didn't hear the music that was playing. I'll definitely say my music wasn't something people would usually listen to. My dad was a major rock and old school fan though, and it rubbed off on me.

Holding out my hand a chunk of stone flew into it. I shaped it into the usual spear I preferred for combat. It was a good weapon to use in order to keep opponents at bay while you would corner them. The leftover stones I made float around me for later use.

Behind me, Tokoyami's cape lifted up to show two giant, shadowy arms with claws pop out, while Asui stuck to the pipes on the ceiling. So far we hadn't encountered anyone as we made our way through. This meant one of two things to my strategic mind. Either they were lying in wait to ambush us, or were getting ready for us to get to the room where the weapon was. Both were viable options due to the circumstances.

I walked beside Tokoyami, keeping my wits about me. "So, any idea as to how we should go about this? I feel splitting up would be good, but then again being together would mean we'd be ready for an ambush."

"Both of those are true. However, it seems we may not have to worry about either at this rate. I feel they'll split up due to their Quirks though." He said.

"Why do you think that?" I asked.

"Sero can shoot tape from his elbows from what I saw in the Quirk Assessment Test with Aizawa. As for the two others, I don't know." Asui said over the comm.

That gave me some insight. Sero had a Quirk that was ideal for capturing, quite deadly in this situation. Hana was also on the other team, and she seemed to have used her Quirk as well, but I didn't see it. Was the sword a hint of sorts since it was part of her gear like that guy with the laser?

"Either way we should still be cautious. We only have a minimum amount of information to go and shouldn't make assumptions." The cloaked student said. "Simply be cautious and retrieve the weapon. We do that, we win."

"Right," I said while nodding in agreement.

We continued down the hallway until we came to a spot where we could go left or right. As soon as I stepped over the threshold I knew something was wrong. I had my spear at the ready, and looked around me as Tokoyami seemed surprised, and had stumbled back a bit. He then put his hand up.

"A wall? But you're over there." He said.

I walked over and put my hand on it, and knocked on the transparent wall. "Well, whoever did this is a roamer."

"A roamer?" Asui asked over the comm.

"In gaming terms, basically what Bakugo did. Someone must've been outside of the weapon room and wait for the chance to split us up. Where about are you Asui?" I asked her.

"Here." She said as she dropped down by Tokoyami.

"Okay, here's the plan. You two stay together as best as you can and get to the weapon. Seems whoever did this plans on waiting out the clock. I'll meet you on the top floor." I said. They then began to head off.

"Just be careful Ishi. We don't know how many could be attempting an ambush." Tokoyami told me.

"Don't worry, I will."

After the two had gone I turned left and tried my best to make my way to the top floor. It seemed that was where the weapon would be held no matter what building we entered. I had to say though the fact my footsteps echoed throughout the hallways was a bit unsettling.

The fact a wall could appear and make me have to change course was even more unsettling. If they played it right they could have easily just boxed us in and keep us there until the time was up for an instant win.

Did that mean the user had a limit of some kind if they weren't doing that?

I was once again surprised once I encountered another invisible wall, leaving me only the option of a long hall that ended in a dead end. There were three rooms in the hall. I had my spear ready as I opened one of them up to check inside. The room was empty with only a bit of sunlight from the window coming in. If this was the user's strategy then it had definitely worked. I quickly turned around and pointed my stone weapon outside.

"Okay, you got me all alone. So let's get this over okay? Want to make sure I get to have dinner tonight while it's still warm."

I was a bit surprised to see the purple zip-up vest of Hana walk in, her hand slowly drawing her katana. She then pointed the weapon at me just like I was with mine at her. Her eyes weren't at all filled with the usual shyness that was in them. Instead, they were filled with determination and focus.

There was barely time for me to react as she struck me with her katana. Instead of a cut on my arm though, it was more like getting hit with a baseball bat. I then noticed as the sun hit it a faint shimmering came off it. A rectangle of sorts covering it. I smiled at my realization at what her Quirk was. No wonder I never saw her Quirk in use. It was invisible, to even begin with.

I recovered from the blow and stabbed forward with my spear, making it form into more of a blunt staff. I felt a solid hit to her sword as she blocked. My hand then sliced in front of me, a slab of stone coming in between us. I then closed it and pulled, making it break apart.

I'll need ammunition if I'm gonna take her on. Assuming my theory in her Quirk is right.

Once I had enough stones I moved my hand, forming then into perfect projectiles to fire. As I threw my hand out horizontally I watched as the stone projectiles met against solid air and fell to the ground. I smiled once again as Hana grimaced at showing me what her Quirk was. I took this moment to strike.

I swung the staff from the right into Hana's side. She took the brunt of it and slid over to the wall, only for me to strike again at her chest lightly as to not severely hurt her. She looked at me confused at the difference in my strikes.

"Listen I'm all up for a fight but I can't bring myself to hurt a woman. Even if it's-" My words were cut off as she then cut the stone staff apart and then across my body, a force propelling me back into the wall opposite of her. I fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of me. "Holy- crap-!" I wheezed out.

"Sorry, but I'm currently not allowed to go easy on you," Hana said, gliding her hand on the blade, most likely putting a barrier around it. "I'm sure some have reasons for wanting to be a Hero, but unlike some, I have to do this." She then held the blade at me. "Now get up, I don't like hitting an opponent while they're down." Her voice was practically empty of that stutter she had. Her green eyes filled with an intent to win.

My mind was racing at a hundred thoughts a second as I tried to process everything. Hana was great at fighting, and her Quirk allowed her to create barriers and use them as a projectile of sorts. Even more by putting one around her sword it became a more of a club. A deadly one at that.

Air became easier to take in as I calmed myself down. I was met with a Quirk just as powerful as mine, maybe even more so. I needed to either get out of a small room like this or- Wait. Wasn't my comm still active? Maybe I could get some help.

"Sorry bout this Hana! Nothing personal!" I said as I kicked her legs from underneath her, and rolled over to the doorway. Once I got out of the room I put my hand in front of me, a wall of stone blocking the doorway, trapping her in.

This victory was short-lived as the stone burst part while I was down another hallway, the sound echoing. I put my hand up to my ear to access the comm in my ear. "Hey, Tokoyami? Asui? Found our wall-maker. I'll try to distract her while you guys get the weapon. Speaking of, how's that going?"

A grunt was heard, most likely from a fight they were in. "We've made contact. We can handle this, you take care of her Ishi. Having her in here would make things difficult for us." Tokoyami said.

"They're more or less not the best at combat besides Kirishima," Asui said.

"I heard that!" I heard someone say... From above?

This is too good if I plan it right... I thought to myself. I didn't get to think long as a wave of air went by me, causing the wall to crack a bit. I looked behind me to see Hana at the ready to fight once again. Seems she was the type to completely change in a fight.

I didn't get to think long as another wave of air went by me, causing the wall to crack a bit. I looked behind me to see Hana at the ready to fight once again. Seems she was the type to completely change in a fight.

I put my left foot behind me, keeping my body flat to stay a smaller target. I stomped the ground, causing the stone to fly up and form into a katana of my own. After all, she wasn't the only one to have some training in swordplay.

She made the first move, sending two blasts of air forward in my direction. I dodged to the right to avoid one and brought up a wall to block the other. I shot the remaining pieces of stone at her as I made my own sword for close combat. We locked blades, trying to make the other backup for room to swing. I stepped back and swung from the left for a feint, and then stabbed forwards for a blunt hit. As she was recomposing herself I went to strike from the back, only to have my sword break against a barrier she had thrown up.

It was tiring to have to keep remaking weapons to fight. I stuck to my hands and shot more stones forward, each breaking against either her sword or a barrier. I grabbed two and shaped them into nightsticks, going in once again. I sliced down with one as I used the other to hit her stomach. She then released her left hand and put it against my chest, and sent me flying. I used my feet to hit the wall and shot myself forward using the stone, spinning my body as I turned my nightsticks into sand and used it as a smokescreen to blind her.

She coughed a bit, giving me time to go in for what I hoped to be my final move. I felt my head begin to violently shake with how much I was using my power without breaks in between. Placing my hands on the wall I made another stone staff and charged at her. As I got closer I thrust forward and caused the upper half to turn into sand. It snaked around her arms and then solidified back into stone handcuffs to restrain her arms.

"What?!" She said in surprise as I used the remaining part of my staff to hit her legs from underneath her and then caught her before she could hit the floor. She dropped her katana.

What I wasn't prepared for was the reinforced kick she gave me into the wall. My head smacked against the stone wall, somewhat irritating me. Hana had been able to get her katana, using it to slice through the stone cuffs I had made.

I prepared to continue our fight until I realized, I was boxed in by her barriers. The one thing I was afraid of happening had happened. At this point, I began to somewhat lose my cool. It wasn't easy being in a fight and staying calm. Being the son of a villain there were a few times a fight with a kid was inevitable.

The fact my head was pounding didn't help me in this situation. I brought back my fist, hoping maybe I could break out by some miracle. As soon as it connected I knew I made a terrible mistake.

"Do you got rocks for brains or something? Just how stubborn are you? My Quirk lets me solidify air into a barrier of sorts allowing me-"

"To create walls, make a sort of armor around yourself, or sharpen or blunt your weapons. I've been taking the notes the entire time Hana. The fact you change into an entirely new mindset threw me off, but not for long. I mean with a Quirk like this there has to be some kind of limit? Right?" I said with a devious smile as I made the ground spike up around her, essentially trapping her.

She let out a small yelp of surprise, which was a bit cute if I was being honest. "So you're not limited either. Didn't know you could do stuff like this Mason."

"Rule number one of Mason Ishi, keep em' guessing, the more they guess, the more time you got to plan," I said before putting my hand on the wall and causing it to dissolve into sand. I walked through and made it reform back into a solid wall again. "Rule number two, always have a plan B." I made my way by using the same method on the wall closest to her. "And finally," I walked over and took out the Capture Tape, wrapping it around her. "Never forget the basics."

A few seconds after I was done I heard All Might shout over the comm. "Hero team wins! Great job!"

Hana laughed a little bit. "Well, seems you're not just all talk. Sorry if I was too-"

I put my hand up, causing the stone to settle back into the ground. "Don't. I probably would've done a few of the same things in your position. I mean it was a viable strategy-"

"No! I mean the fact of how I treated you. You're my friend yet I threw you around like some rag doll." The stone went back into the ground, and she was there on her knees, looking down. "All those injuries hurt don't they? All because I was on the opposite team and you were my opponent. I'll understand if you distance yourself from-" She went to get up and walk away until she tripped. I quickly moved and grabbed her by the waist, seeing it was the only thing I could do.

"I'm not going to do that just because you got a little rough. Also, I feel this is a bit of a callback to how we first met." I said. Meanwhile, my mind was going off on how suggestive the current position we were in was.

"You know Mason Ishi, this is still being recorded. Ashido might see." She said with a slight blush on her face as she looked away.

Sure Hana, go ahead and mention that bit as well. I'm never going to hear the end of this one...

* * *

 **A/N: Another All Mighty chapter for you guys! Boy, this was another long one, but worth it as all hell. I've been loving the hell out of getting to write these. Now I'd like to thank you guys who have been following and favoriting, I appreciate all of the support. I plan to have this be more or less going on for quite a while. I will say the next few will be a bit short but will give some more light on Mason hopefully. Not too much though. Gotta save that bit for the Villain invasion...**

 **Smoke: But boss! What about me? When do I get to-**

 **No! No telling them yet! Now, for some reviews.**

 **Pokemonking0924: Hope you enjoyed that 3 on 3, man. Took me a while to find which one to put Hana and Mason in. How well does Mason cook? Well, you'll have to wait! Also, that was quite the explosive pun.**

 **TrAfAlGaRlAwSgUrL27: Glad to see you're as excited as I am with this story.**

 **Now, to the sneak peek!**

 **"As much as you are my homeroom teacher, why do you have to be my godfather too?"**

 **"It is, and I repeat, not a date!"**

 **"We both have our own views on the media for a reason."**

 **Yup, you're getting your answers next week people!**


	7. Chapter 7

In my life, I have been in many unfavorable situations. Times I've had to be a wingman for the few friends I had, clothes shopping with my mother, even the first time I went back to school after my dad had been arrested. Yet none of those came to close to the times Aizawa- Or Uncle Shota- Came to visit. I wasn't exactly thrilled when my mom went to check who was knocking on the door and it turned out to be my own homeroom teacher.

That night I had decided to make curry for dinner. As I cooked my mother and Shota talked. Mostly about how the other was doing and how I was as a student. There were other things as well that were concerning due to my certain situation.

"Don't worry Skylar, he's fine. The Principal has all the confidential stuff under wraps. Only those who need to know about Mason being Jishin's son know. Me being one of them rationally. Now, how you been doing kid?" He asked me.

"As much as you are my homeroom teacher, why do you also have to be my godfather?" I said a bit jokingly.

"So good then. All Might told me you all did a good job today during the battle training. Things must've been a bit dicey with that Kennagasa girl. Not even a week and you're already making moves." He then took a sip of tea while my mom practically squealed.

"Seems my boy is popular with the ladies, huh Shota?" She said.

"It's a rational occurrence at his age. I and Jishin weren't so different when we were kids. He just needs to make sure to focus on school and not be like those punks who have a girl for each day in the week."

I scoffed. "Yeah, they're simply-"

"Not rational." We both said at once.

He then gave me a slight scowl. "That's my thing kid, get your own catchphrase."

"What? It's true. I mean relationships should one on one right? Not having multiple partners to 'spread your affection'. If anything you should put all that affection into the person you already got in your life."

I went back to cooking as the both of them became quiet, not speaking at all for a good ten seconds or so.

"Every time I start to think he's my son he ends up saying something Jishin would say. Thank God." Aizawa said as he then put his head on the table.

Originally it had been Mr. Aizawa who had met my mom while he had gone overseas to the States. There he met my mom and she ended up coming here to an art school in Japan. Seeing as her Quirk allowed her to shape any material into what she wanted, she was a great sculptor. Due to this Mr. Aizawa had been asked to be a bodyguard of sorts with how liberating her Quirk could be. They did have a relationship at one point, and then my dad came into the mix of things later on.

Aizawa had been a bridge of sorts between the two and ended up seeing them marry one another and eventually me being born. My dad and he had been extremely good friends, and thus he became my godfather. Now he was also my homeroom teacher.

I didn't have a problem with it though. So long as he didn't try to single me out during classes I'd be fine. It wasn't easy having to arrest your own friend, nevermind your own godson's father. It was surprising that they even let him be my homeroom teacher since we were technically related.

"Now what is this I heard though exactly about going with... Who was it again... Mina Ashido was it? I heard you planned on going on a date over the weekend. Just make sure to be careful, it wouldn't be rational to have a bad relationship with someone you're going to be working with for the next three years."

I put down the spoon I had been using to mix the rice. "It is, and I repeat, not a date!" I said annoyed. "I just want to get to-"

"Know her better?" Aizawa said cutting me off. He then smiled. "I'm not going to judge you. She's got a good attitude, I just hope that she can handle being a Hero when it comes down to it. What I want to know though is how far have you gotten."

As soon as he said that I went back to cooking the rice and curry. Everything was going well until he mentioned that little tidbit. There were some things I was okay with talking about, and what my godfather was attempting was most definitely not one of them.

"Shota you know that he's skilled with his Quirk. If he's okay with what he can do right now that's up to him." My mom told him.

"I know that. Yet I also saw what he pulled at the entrance exam. He isn't the only one to have gained a great combination of two Quirks. Your mother's Shaping and your father's Terraforming are both a part of you. The fact you haven't been trying to work on both just worries me."

"And I have told you time and time again I'm not confident in using it to that extent yet. The entrance exam was different." I opened the cabinet and began serving up the curry and rice I had made for dinner. "I'll use it once I feel I can properly use it." I sat down and gave my mom and Aizawa their bowls.

"I understand that. Rationally speaking it isn't easy to control. In a way, you're like this curry. You feel comfortable just eating the rice and curry separately one bite at a time. Yet you need to learn how to 'mix' them together for a better 'flavor' if you will. Only then will your maximum potential come out. Now let's eat, I won't pry anymore." He then took a bite. "Have to say though, your cooking never fails to impress me."

"Thanks. Also, I wanted to ask something." I also took a bite of the curry, thankful it had just the right amount of spice.

"Ask away."

"What do you know about Hana Kennagasa?" I asked him.

"Well seeing I'm a teacher I can't divulge too much, only that her Quirk and yours have equal pros and cons. That and her sword isn't just for show, she can use it frighteningly well. I'm surprised she didn't get in through recommendations though unlike some of the others."

I stayed silent after getting that answer. So there was more to that shy girl than meets the eye. It was strange seeing the sudden change in her once we began to fight. Even during the review, she had returned to that attitude everyone knew she had as some analyzed our little skirmish.

Was she was the type of person whose whole persona changed once put into a certain situation? I mean it wasn't unheard of. Some books and shows I had watched had characters like that. Ones who once they were in their element nothing could stop them. Was she put through some kind of intense training as a kid? When I thought about it the more it seemed to possibly be the case.

That was for another time though. Right now I just needed to focus on eating dinner and possibly getting some extra training in. Today had given me a lot of information about the other's Quirks and what to expect out of them. I took another bite of dinner and once again smiled.

 _You know if I didn't become a Hero, being a chef would probably be my next choice!_ I thought to myself.

* * *

Never in my life had I been more surprised than ever when I walked out my door to see Hana there with her bag and what I could now assume was a pouch of sorts for her katana. Behind her was a jet-black car with the window down, the driver wearing what a limo driver usually would from what I knew.

She stood there with the door open as I walked down my porch's steps and over to her. Her long black hair was in its usual style with her right eye covered by it. I had never gotten to really see her with a proper view. She was a shorter than me, and her green eyes were like fresh grass. Not to mention Hana had a modest chest I was trying not to stare at due to my height.

 _Why do I have to be so damn tall? I can't even look down at her face without- No! Bad Mason, she's probably just here to give a friendly ride to school. Now that I think about it, how did she even find out where I live?_ I thought to myself.

"M-Mason I was wondering if maybe you wanted a ri-ride to school?" She asked me, the usual nervousness obvious in her voice.

"Sure, thanks," I said trying to not make it awkward I got in the car as she followed behind me.

Once we had gotten in and all set she told the driver to continue on to U.A., at which he nodded and began to drive us there. It was strange being in such a nice car like this. The closest thing I had ever been in when it came to cars was a taxi or whenever my mom happened to take me along for grocery shopping.

The silence was a bit awkward as we drove Was she trying to think of something to say concerning yesterday? If she was I already knew what to say about it. She didn't need to apologize, I already had a good guess of why she acted how she did.

"Mason... What do you think of me as a person?"

"Hana if this is about yesterday I already it's o-"

"This doesn't have to do with that. I mean it kinda does but- Tell me. In general, how do you see me as a person?" She asked me, trying not to look at me.

"As a person? Well, you're kind first off. Not once have I seen you have a single mean bone in your body. Also, you come off as shy and don't really like to speak to people you don't know. But look at you right now! I haven't heard you stutter even once!" I said trying to lighten things up. Thankfully that made her smile a bit.

"Well, that's because I feel... Normal around you. It might seem confusing but most people wouldn't be so forgiving after seeing how I act in battle, even when it's just training. That's why I picked you up this morning. To see if you were mad at me or not. I don't really make friends that easily." She admitted.

"How!? Look at you. You're one of the sweetest people I've met and you get along with me and Ashido, and some of the others in the class." I said.

She then muttered something under her breath I couldn't hear and then smiled. "That's one of the reasons I'm glad to be your friend then, you always seem to cheer me up. You really are Hero material huh?"

"We've arrived. Though from the look of things it seems you may want me to drop you in back Lady Kennagasa?" The driver asked.

She nodded. "Please do. Seems everyone's learned that All Might is a teacher here now and decided to get every bit of information they can. I don't blame them, he's the Symbol of Peace after all."

"We both have our own views on the media for a reason," I said as we went around back into the parking lot and got out of the car.

"You find them a bit of a bother?"

"I mean I'm okay with them covering stuff, but there's a fine line between trying to get a scoop and notifying the public. Anyhow, guess it's about time for class huh? Wonder how much teasing Ashido will put on us for showing up at the same time..."

She then reddened. "Pl-please don't mention that. Especially after yesterday!"

* * *

"Decent training on yesterday's combat training you guys. I saw the video feeds and went over each of your team's results. Bakugo, you're talented. But don't sulk about your loss okay?" Aizawa said to the explosive Quirk user as we went through homeroom.

"Yeah, whatever." He said.

"And Midoriya, I see the only way you won the match was by messing up your arm again. Work harder. And don't give me the excuse that you can't control your Quirk. That line's already getting old. You can't keep breaking your body while training here, but your Quirk will be very useful if you can get a handle on it. So show a little urgency huh?" The scruffy-looking teacher said to Izuku. He had a point. That green-haired kid's Quirk was definitely something.

"Right!" Izuku said.

"Now that that is over with the next task will decide your future."

As soon as he said those words everyone seemed to tense up a bit. Except for me. Seeing as it was our third day we were probably going to do what any class would. Most likely we were going to assign class representatives.

"You're all going to appoint a class representative." He said. It seemed to surprise everyone except for me and Hana. Or so I thought until I looked behind me to see her sigh with relief.

"Pick me, guys! I want to be the class rep!" Kirishima said.

"I'll take it!" Denki said. The electricity user I had come to learn after yesterday. I had memorized more or less everyone's names now.

"I'm totally the right pick!" Ashido jumped up saying, her cheerfulness at an all-time high as usual.

It seemed everyone wanted to be except for me. I didn't much like being put in positions like this when it came to school. Then again it wasn't like anyone would want to vote for the villain kid anyways. Was it sad I had gotten used to that kind of treatment as I grew up?

This would be different though. The more you got involved with activities, the more Agencies would take notice of you. Though I'm sure more than a few had their sights on me, and not in a good way. Had things gone differently maybe I could've gotten into Aizawa's, but he was more of a loner. As everyone shouted and bickered I sat back and closed my eyes. Maybe I could get in some surprise naps.

"Silence everyone, please!" I heard Iida shout, opening one of my eyes to peek. "The class representative's duty is to lead others. That's not something just anyone can do. You must first have the trust of every student in the classroom. Therefore, the most logical way is to do this democratically. We will hold an election to choose our leader." The blue haired speedster said. It was obvious his hand was up the highest, though.

"Is this really the best idea?" Denki asked.

"We've only known each other for a few days how do we know who we can trust?" Tsuyu said.

"Besides everyone will just vote for themselves." Kirishima pointed out.

"Most people will, but that means whoever doesn't receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable person for the job," Iida said reassuringly. He then turned to Aizawa, who was getting into his yellow sleeping bag. "It's the best way right sir?"

"Do what you want just decide before my naps over." He said as he fell onto the floor.

"Thank you for your trust," Iida said with a quick bow.

I closed my open eye and got comfortable. "Ditto. I'm not interested so count me out." I said with a yawn. I then felt someone pulling me out of my chair.

"Nope that's not an option Mason! You're in this as much as any of us! Come on it'll be fun!" Ashido said to me as she pulled me along.

It took a while but eventually, we tallied up all the votes for who we wanted our male and female representatives to be for our class. I decided to vote for Izuku seeing as I didn't want to be stuck with said position. Sure it would give me more spotlight, but I needed to earn that spotlight. Two people still voted for me, however.

"How did I get four votes?!" izuku said surprised. Bakugo then shot up from his seat.

"Okay you idiots, who voted for him!?" He shouted. I felt tempted to stand and say "This idiot!"

"What did you honestly thought anyone was gonna vote for you?" Sero asked.

"What did you just say?! You wanna go punk!?"

After Bakugo got calmed down and Aizawa woke up we ended up with Izuku as our class rep and Momo as the deputy.

"R-really? It's not a mistake?" Izuku asked, obviously shaking from the unforeseen turn of events.

Momo sighed. "How'd this happen?"

"This may not be so bad."

"Yeah I can get behind Midoriya I guess."

"Yaoyorozu was totally on top of it when it came to our training results."

It seemed every agreed that those two were the best choice. I simply closed my eyes again and tried to get what little rest I could while in homeroom. It wasn't that I was tired or didn't get enough sleep, I just liked to relax every now and then.

As soon as the bell rang for us to head to our classes, I got up and headed off as if I hadn't even been trying to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Ah, a nice little chapter to cool off from all the combat and such. Kinda tempted to do some fluff stuff next chapter, but who knows where these hands will take us. Now for a bit of an update as to why this chapter was late- Finals. Being a high school student myself next week is my Finals, thus I needed to study a bit before deciding to finish this up. Now upside to this is that all I gotta do is take two test and I'm back here to my computer writing up another. One once again, next one is gonna be "short"(by no means was this one short much to my disbelief once I hit 2500 words). Now, let's look at the reviews and our sneak peek!**

 **Pokemonking0924: Glad you enjoyed the match bud, and hey your right! Her Quirk is like that Solid Air guys. That thought didn't even cross my mind. As for her sense of honor and reason for being a Hero, let's just say Mason isn't the only one with Daddy issues, neither is Todoroki. Wonder if they should form team Dad issues... As for cute moments, yes. Once again, if not for Ashido this could've been going entirely differently. Though some Mason and Ashido stuff is planned too, just you wait.**

 **SNEAK PEEK TIME!**

 **"But first, there's something I wanna say."**

 **"Rescue. You'll be dealing with natural disasters, shipwrecks, stuff like that."**

 **"Please remember that if you lose focus or make the wrong move, your powers could be deadly."**

 **"No... Seems that we're getting into the game earlier than we though, huh guys?"**

 **Next chapter, prepare. For it is time for the Diamond in the Rough to fully shine! Great Gatsby that was cheesy...**


	8. Chapter 8

I was all too happy wen it was finally time for lunch. A downside to me taking a nap in the afternoon or morning was as soon as I woke up, the growling in my stomach wouldn't stop until I had something to eat. Having English as my first language was good academic wise, but it also meant that I had more time to relax in class. Ashido chuckled as we all made our way over to a table.

"You're really getting your jollies out of this, aren't you?" I asked her miserably.

"It's not that, it's just I've never heard someone stomach make so much noise before! You must really be hungry, huh?"

"I-I think it's best if he just eats now so it s-stops. A sound like that coming out of nowhere is terrifying if anything."

"Sorry, it just happens," I said to Hana. Just about everyone had heard the sounds my stomach made last period. It had caught a lot of people off guard at first. I ate a spoonful of rice. Instantly the feeling of hunger had left my body. "So much better..." I said blissfully. It was then I was reminded.

"Oh yeah, Ashido. You still up for that bite to eat on Sunday?"

It was right there and then that the unthinkable happened. It was difficult to see, but the pink-skinned girl seemed to have a bit of blush appear on her cheeks. Her black and yellow eyes seemed to widen in surprise.

"Uh yeah of course I am! I mean it's not like I'm nervous or anything! Who said I'm nervous? Not me!"

I had just witnessed one of the most adorable things in my life.

"Real smooth Ashido, almost as smooth as those 'rock hard-' " Hana said, sealing the final nail that made me release my contained laughter.

"Sh-shut up! As if you're any better! I bet you enjoyed having him hold you like that during training! Not to mention when we were in his room after he saved you! You were all over him wanting to thank your 'Hero'! What was it you said? That the only way you could repay him was-"

"PLEASE, NO MORE!" Hana said pleadingly. "I'd die from embarrassment if he knew about that!" She then began to make herself as small as possible.

Meanwhile, I was trying to not let my sides split. I stopped as soon as I felt murderous intent being pointed in my direction.

"Who do you think you're laughing at?" They both said, both just as angry as the other.

"Sorry. It's just usually you two don't go back and forth like that. Plus I've always seen Ashido as the type to tease. It was a bit adorable seeing her get flustered." I said, trying to apologize before I got the ever living crap beat out of me.

Ashido seemed stunned at that. "A-adorable?" She hung her head low, the blush much more apparent on her face from what I could see. "That's a low blow, Mason, real low." She muttered shyly. "Not low enough for me to say no though. I'm still up for it, just please, no more."

"Okay, got it. No more flirty comments from me." I put my hands up in surrender. Hana smiled.

"Seems we have found ourselves in the middle of a-"

Hana was cut off as what sounded like an alarm was sounded, the ringing followed by one phrase being repeated over and over on the loudspeaker. I stood up, my nerves shooting off in every other direction. What was going on?

"Warning! Level three security breach! All students, please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion." The female sounding voice said. I noticed people start to rush out of the lunch room in a hurry.

"What's a level three security breach?!" Ashido asked, worry in her voice.

This was one of the few times in life I was glad that Aizawa was my godfather and had taught me a thing or two. "It means someone managed to get past the U.A. barrier. Let's go, hopefully not too many people are- Panicking."

I instantly regretted my choice of words as we made our way down the hall, only to be packed like sardines in a can. Everyone was so worked up and focused on getting out they had filled the hallway to the sides. I felt Ashido push up against me.

"Hey! Watch you're moving your arms!" She shouted at another student.

Just about everyone was trying to get out of the building as ordered. The downside was that there was barely any room for people to move around and actually get out. I could feel everyone's footsteps on the ground, my skin feeling like someone was lightly poking my skin with their fingernails. All this panic and rushing, it was basically a situation that called for... Crowd control...

An idea spiked in my mind. The number one rule of calming a huge crowd was to get their attention. Yet how could I do that? I'd need to be somewhere people could see me. That wasn't a choice with how far back I was though.

That meant I'd have to do the other thing. Assess the situation at hand and make a plan from there. I tried to get on my toes, lifting me up so I could see how bad it was. The worse case scenario being actual Villains attacking the school. If that were to happen, I'd be afraid of what'd I'd have to do.

Me and Hana both with how we were trained.

My eyes widened in anger as I looked to see of all things, it was that god damn fucking MEDIA! If not for the amount of people here I probably would've broken the floor and window, and give them an earful. It was one thing to want information or coverage on a story. But this? This was just straight up trespassing!

Now that I had seen what the situation was like, it occurred to me that everyone was simply overreacting. there was not a single reason why all of us should be forcing our way out of the building like this! I began to rack my brain for ideas, but none of them would work in a situation like this. Enclosed space plus huge crowd equaled none of my _good_ plans working.

Then I had an idea. A _very good_ one. I began to look around as best as I could. Where was she? If I could find her maybe she could use her Quirk to-

"Mason! Help!" I heard Hana shout. I looked to see her being carried away with the crowd. Ashido was being pushed as well by practically everyone's elbow.

I flexed my hand, ready to do something risky. I took a deep breath in, calming my nerves and just focusing on the hallway itself. All the conditions were met when suddenly I heard Iida shouting, and everyone going silent.

"LISTEN UP EVERYTHING IS OKAY!" The blue haired speedster said in a concise and confident voice. "It's just the media outside there's absolutely nothing to worry about everything's fine! We're U.A. students, we need to remain calm, and prove we're the best of the best!"

After he was done talking- and got helped down from his compromising position on top of the exit sign- everyone calmed down. I smiled once I saw that Hana was able to make her way back over to Ashido and me. Seemed someone was able to keep everything calm after all. Though part of me regretted it wasn't me who did it.

* * *

"It's time class rep, let's begin." Momo said to Izuku as they stood at the front of the classroom.

The green haired class rep stood there, shaking with nervousness. "Um, Okay. So we need to figure out who the other class officers are going to be! But first, there's something I wanna say." He seemed to relax a bit. "I've thought a lot about this, and I believe Tenya Iida should be our class rep! He was able to get everyone's attention and get us in line. So I believe, he should be the one leading our class from now on." He said while smiling. Damn the dude was inspiring.

"Yeah, you know what," Kirishima said while smiling. I remembered him and Denki had been trying to keep things under control as well. "If Midoriya vouches for him I'm good. Plus he was a totally big help. He manned up and took charge right?"

"Yup." Denki agreed. "Hey did you notice he also looked like the dude on the emergency exits as well earlier?"

"This is a waste of time! I don't who the rep is, just hurry up." Aizawa said while in his trademark sleeping bag. He once again flopped back onto the ground as he resumed his nap.

Iida then stood up. "If Midoriya is nominating me for this job," He then opened his eyes and raised his hand up high. "I humbly accept! I pledge to carry out the responsibilities of class rep to the best of my abilities!"

"Sounds good Emergency Exit!"

"Yeah, Emergency Exit Iida! Don't let us down man!"

"So we got everything nice and settled finally? Or do you want to keep me waiting? I'll let you know that choice is quite irrational if it's a yes." Everyone nodded and sat down. The other officer positions could be done tomorrow. "Now, today's training you'll have three instructors. Me, All Might and another faculty member will be keeping tabs on you."

I was glad one of my suspicions was right on the money. With the break in it seemed just for security's sake we would be working with three pros today. Then again it didn't really matter. Just one more teacher to learn from and to adapt my style.

"Excuse me but what kind of training is this?" Sero asked.

Aizawa then held up a card with the answer right on it. "Rescue. You'll be dealing with natural disasters, shipwrecks, stuff like that."

Denki turned to me and Ashido. "Disasters huh? Seems like we're in for a big workout"

"Totally!" Ashido shouted with her usual cheeriness.

As everyone began to speak among themselves with what we were about to do in training and how they could shine, Aizawa called for everyone to be quiet. "Guys I'm not finished yet. What you wear in this exercise is up to you. I know you're excited about costumes, but keep in mind you haven't gotten used to them yet and they might limit your abilities." He pressed a remote, the lockers coming out from the wall behind us. "This special training is at an off-campus facility, so we'll be taking a bus to get there. That's all, start getting ready."

Aizawa left the room, leaving us students in there. I went over to my locker and grabbed my suit, and sat back down on my desk. I then began to take off my uniform. I had almost completely unbuttoned my white dress-shirt until I felt a hand grip my shoulder tightly.

"Ow ow ow ow!" I looked to see Momo being the one to cause me pain.

"Ishi, please do that in the _changing room._ Not here where we can all see you."

"But there- Wasn't a problem before- OW!"

She gave me a look of death. "That's because before I wasn't the deputy. Now you can go wait outside with the other guys while us girls change. Or is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is!" I heard Kirishima say. "I know he can move rocks and stuff, but last I checked that doesn't mean he gets to have rock hard abs!"

* * *

My shoulder killed as we waited for everyone to be ready to get on the bus for the trip to the training facility. Even after the fact of everyone changing the eyes of death Momo gave me still haunted my mind. Why did she have to grip my bad shoulder too?

I had to admit, I was excited about this trip. Unlike most people here my Quirk was useful in numerous situations. Rescue being quite the key one with how I could easily lift rubble or create a safe route of evacuation. Being able to rescue those in need was a staple for being a hero. If I couldn't do that I was no more than some boxer given express permission to beat on criminals.

A loud whistle brought me out of thoughts.

"Gather round Class 1-A!" I heard Iida shout. I got up off the bench I had been sitting on and made my over. "Using your student number please make a neat line so we can load the bus efficiently!" It seemed he was quite fitting for the role of class rep.

We did as we were told, only to find that the bus was quite spacious. It offered tons of spots to sit and relax.

"The bus' open layout ruined my boarding strategy..." Iida said sadly as he hung his head low and put his arms on his knees.

"Iida, you really need to chill," Ashido said to him.

"If we're pointing out the obvious there's something I wanna say." Tsuyu said as she turned to Izuku. "About you actually."

Izuku seemed to tense up with that all too familiar nervousness. At this point, I pinned it as a defense mechanism.

"About me? What is it Asui-"

"I told you to call me Tsu."

"Oh, yeah right."

Seems Tsuyu was just like me. She didn't care for people calling her by her last name for formal reasons. There wasn't a need to be formal really now that I thought about the subject. Hell, me and Hana were more or less on the same... Terms...

 _No wonder Ashido teases her! We might as well be childhood friends with how close we seem!_ I thought to myself. Was I happy?

"That power of yours, isn't a lot like All Might's?" The frog-like girl asked. This caused Izuku to panic a little bit.

"W-What really?! You think so huh? I never thought about that. I guess it's kinda simple..." He then went into a muttering mess until Kirishima jumped in.

"Wait, hold on Tsu. You're forgetting All Might doesn't hurt himself. That makes a HUGE difference." He then relaxed into the seat. "Still, I bet it's nice to have a simple augmenting type of Quirk. You can do a lot of flashy stuff with it. My hardening's super strong and can destroy bad guys in a fight but it isn't all that impressive." He put out his left arm, causing it became almost a bit more solid and rock-like.

"No way I think it's awesome!" Izuku said, his eyes lit up. "You're definitely Pro material with a Quirk like that!"

"You really think so? Seems like it'd be easier to be popular if I had something flashier."

"My navel laser has got the perfect combination of pinash and strength," Aoyama said.

"But it's why lame if it gives you a stomach ache sweetie," Ashido said, causing him to look down in defeat. "I mean Mason is kinda flashy right?"

"Well if anyone here has pro Quirks, it'd be Todoroki, Bakugo, and Mason," Kirishima said while smiling.

"Sure but Bakugo is always angry so he'll never be that popular." Tsuyu said, causing Bakugo to become angered.

"WHAT DI YOU SAY?! I'LL KICK YOU ASS!"

She pointed at him and looked at us. "You see?"

"You know we basically just met you, so it's kinda telling if that we all know your personality is flaming crap mixed with garbage." Denki said, hammering another nail into Bakugo's "coffin".

"YOU'LL REGRET THE DAY YOU APPLIED TO THIS SCHOOL YOU LOSER! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Enough!" Iida said, getting up. "Classmates should encourage each other!"

'I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING THIS STUFF IN MYSELF!" Bakugo yelled.

From there it went into a short argument, with Iida trying to calm the two down while Bakugo kept yelling. It was funny seeing the two fight since they had conflicting personalities, to begin with. It was then Aizawa stopped it.

"Hey we're here, stop messing around."

* * *

As soon as we walked in I was amazed by the sheer size of the place. You know that feeling you get when you walk into a small building, only to see how much space it has on the inside? Imagine that and then multiply it be a thousand. That was what I was feeling.

We were then greeted by what I assumed to be our third staff member. From what people were saying he was the hero Thirteen, quite known for his rescuing feats. Though I had yet to see All Might yet as we had walked in.

"This place is like some kind of amusement park!"

"A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm, etcetera. I created this training facility to help all of you deal with all different types of disasters! I call it, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, cut you can call it USJ!"

As soon as that was said we all knew what we were thinking. Universal Studios Japan.

"Where's All Might shouldn't he be here by now? Oh wait, let me guess. He booked an interview instead?" I heard Aizawa say to Thirteen. They got close to whisper, meaning I wouldn't be able to hear what exactly was going on. Was he on patrol due to the incident with the gate?

"That man is the height of irresponsibility." The shaggy black-haired teacher said as he shook his head in disbelief. "Clocks ticking, we should get started." He then walked over to the wall and relaxed against it.

"Excellent! Now before we begin, allow me to say one thing! Well, maybe two things, possibly three, four or... Five." He then took a deep breath and seemed to make it obvious this was a serious talk. "Listen carefully. I'm sure you're aware I have a powerful Quirk. It's called Black Hole. It allows me to suck up anything and turn it into dust."

"Yeah! You've used Black Hole to save people from all kinds of disasters haven't you?" Izuku stated while Urarake seemed to be agreeing with excitement as she bobbed her head.

"That is true, but my Quikr can also very easily be used to kill. Some of you also have powers that can be dangerous. In our superhuman society, all Quirks are certified and strongly regulated, so we often overlook how dangerous they can actually be. Please remember if you lose focus or make the wrong move, you're power can be deadly. even if you're trying to do something virtuous like rescue someone. Thanks to Aizawa's fitness test, you have a solid idea of your Quirk's potential, and with All Might's combat training you likely realized how dangerous your powers can be when used against other people. Carry those lessons over to this class. Today you're going to learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You won't be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, only to help. After all, that's what being a Hero is all about, ensuring the safety of others. That's all I have to say. Thank you for listening." The space suit wearing Hero then took a bow, and everyone cheered. I had to admit, it was quite the rousing speech.

I hit my fist together, feeling nice and pumped. Even had a smile on her face as well, along with Ashido. This was something we were waiting for after all. A chance to show we would be able to save others.

 _A chance to make up for those lives lost those years ago. Lives that should've lived longer..._

"Right. Now that that's over," Aizawa pointed, and the lights turned off. Meanwhile, anyone could see a strange black vortex over by the water fountain appear.

Me, Aizawa, and Thirteen all seemed to know immediately what was going on. Too many times had I been through combat training with my godfather and my dad to know what was going on. I held my hand out, ready to have a weapon in my hand when I needed it.

It was then the vortex began to take on a more monstrous shape, yellow eyes glowing from a head-like shape. From how my godfather put on his goggles and held his hand out as if to protect us from harm, I knew my assumption had been right all along.

"Stay together and don't move!" He said to us. "Thirteen, protect the students!"

"Wait, is the training starting already? I thought we were rescuing people." Kirishima asked as people began to come out of the shadowy smoke.

"STAY BACK!" We both shouted. Aizawa put on his trademark goggles. "This is real, those are Villains." I cursed myself for being right. Why was I so good at guessing!?

"Wait! This isn't a joke?!" I heard someone say.

"No... Seems that we're getting into the game earlier than we thought, huh guys?" I said to everyone, appearing calm.

But it was a lie. Out of everyone here, I was the least calm as I held onto the stone spear stuck not in fear, but excitement. It was a nervous kind. A Kind you got when you were ready to dish back whatever life dished at you. And all of life was right there in front of us, ready to take us down.

* * *

 **A/N: HOLY CRISPY SNOWFLAKES IT'S ABOU TO GO DOWN! Of all the events in the story, this is a big one! The first ever REAL Villain fight guys! We're about to remove all the limits on this one! As a writer, there is nothing more I love than these critical moments where the characters are put into an unexpected conflict. Get ready, get set, because next chapter will one in a line that is going to shoot off! PLUS ULTRAAAAA! Now for last chapters Reviews.**

 **pokemonking0924: (yes, finally able to write your name down without having to check!) Nothing like an awkward dinner to get some info am I right? As for some of Aizawa's habits, I found it funny and a little adorable to show how much of an influence he is as godfather. Seeing his actual one is in jail. As for Hana's family being wealthy... Well... You'll see. Kinda scared with how you guys are taking pot shots only to get headshots with some of these! And trust me, invasion and the lunch "date" will be good. You need some relaxation after something like that after all.**

 **Sonic hedgehog: Yay! Another new reviewer! Seriously it brings me tons of joy every time I see a new one for my stories. Now as for Hana teasing, you can see she is the type to fight back when she's cornered. As for which one he'll choose, it's kinda obvious he'll pick *censored*. As for if Class B will have two OCs... Well... Uh... ROLL THE SNEAK PREVIEW!**

 **Preview!**

 **"They're fools for trespassing here, but they thought this out."**

 **"I'll scatter you around this facility to meet my comrades AND YOUR DEATH!"**

 **"Well seeing we don't have many options, seems we'll have to bust a couple skulls or two."**

 **Next time! Our heroes separated and face an uncertain enemy! Make sure to tune in for next chapter everyone, as we have gotten to one of my favorites arcs.**


	9. Chapter 9

There have only been a few times I was ever truly afraid in life. Well, I'm not sure if fear is exactly the word. It was like my stomach was swirling around. I had no clue what would happen when I got that feeling. My legs and arms would tense up ready for the worse to happen, even if I was alone in my room or at my computer.

One of these times was when people at school found out about my dad being "Terrarizer" as he came to be called. That same day I ended up getting myself suspended for getting a fight with three guys who had taken it too far.

It was one thing to say that he was my dad. I didn't care if they isolated me from the rest of the class because I could be "potentially" become a villain. The one thing that had set me off though was when they threatened a girl who had stood up for me. I didn't even know her but she somehow knew me and was the only person who didn't treat me like the plague.

She was the reason I became a hero.

They don't matter. So what if they think you're going to become a Villain and they isolate you! Screw them! You're you and only you. You said you want to be a hero, right? Then become a Hero to show all those jerks that it doesn't matter. Show them that they're wrong.

The next day during lunch some boys had cornered her, and things began to get physical. Just like with Hana, I didn't even think. My feet had sent me forward and all I remembered was my own busted knuckles and three groaning bodies bruised up. I hadn't been sure but I think one of their arms had been broken with the awkward angle it was it.

She knew I was in the right. She even testified that I had defended her before it got more out of hand. The authorities had even found a knife on one of the boys with a strand of her hair on the blade where they had cut. It was during that whole incident I realized that the only way I could make a difference was if I took it into my own hands. The reason I became a Hero was to show that I was my own person.

* * *

My hands were trembling, yet not as much as before. Why did I remember that one thing back in the past? Because this was how I always reacted to these situations? I didn't care. Right now we might as well had been staring into the eyes of evil. Multiple eyes at that.

I brought my right foot forward and left back into a stance. In this position, I could run, or I could fight if I had to. It seemed the former as I saw Aizawa's pull on his scarf to unwrap it, and put on his custom goggles. His Quirk allowed him to nullify one person's own Quirk at a time if he was looking at them. Seeing as the eyes were the one thing people would look at in combat, his goggles were made to hide his and who he was looking at.

All this time I had never really realized what it had been my dad and him had trained me for. This was it right here. People who didn't care how they got what they wanted. All my classmates realized this too. This was what the pros did on a daily.

"What?! Real Villains? How could so many get into a facility that's so secured!" Kirishima remarked. It was a good question.

Momo made her way to the front. "Yeah! Thirteen, why aren't the alarms going off?"

Thirteen looked up, most likely wondering the same thing as he had built the facility. "Good question. I'm not sure"

"Is the entire campus under attack?" Todoroki, the one from the battle training who used Ice asked. "Or is this their only target? Either way, if the alarm sensors aren't being triggered, then one of the Villains must have a Quirk that's masking their presence here. They carefully chose this isolated facility as an entry point at a time when a class is being taught. They're fools for trespassing here, but they thought this out. Whatever their plan they must have a concrete objective in mind. But what is it?"

What he had said made us all realize the true possibilities of this situation. I was prepared to fight if I had to, the others though... I was scared for their sake. Ashido seemed incredibly worried, while Hana had her hand near her sword. I didn't like the looks of that shadow either. Something told me he'd be trouble.

"Thirteen, get them out of here and alert the main campus. Actually, if they got the ability to block our sensors, then they might be jamming our regular communications too." He turned and looked to Denki. "Kaminari, try using your Quirk to communicate the school."

"Yes, sir!" He said with a nod, putting his hand to the radio device next to his ear.

"What are you gonna do?! You can't fight them on your own! There's too many of them!" Izuku said. "Even if you can nullify their Quirks, your fighting style isn't suited for this. Your power works best in stealth and one-on-one! That's not gonna help in a group."

I smiled as Aizawa gave him glance before rushing in. "You can't be a pro if you only got one trick. I'll leave it to you Thirteen."

Words couldn't describe the wonder I felt as I saw my godfather leap from the stairs and down into the mass of Villains. It was a rare sight for even me to see him fight like this. Most only knew him as a solo Hero who avoided the media.

Yet even though he had a Quirk with a major limitation, he had gone beyond. He had found a way to complement it and to expand on those weaknesses, making them strengths. Goggles to hide who he was looking at, the carbon fiber scarf for keeping enemies bound and in check, and awareness of all enemies.

This was the exact kind of teacher I had as a kid when I said I wanted to become a Hero. I gave a brief nod before I turned and ran with everyone else out of the facility. Hopefully, we could get help before it became too much for him to manage. Sure he was one of the top Heroes in my opinion, but he wasn't All Might or Endeavor. Izuku had been right, after all. Aizawa's Quirk wasn't suited for huge groups of people.

We were about halfway to the door before I ate those words. I stopped in my tracks as a purple swirl appeared, and took the shape of the smoky mass with yellow eyes from before. Looks like he was going to be trouble. Most likely he had some sort of transportation Quirk.

"There is no escape for you! It is a pleasure to meet you, we are the League of Villains. I know it's impolite, but we decided to invite ourselves into this haven of justice to say hello." His voice was icy and menacing. It was something you'd expect a Villain to sound like. "And besides, isn't this a fitting place for All Might, the Symbol of Peace to his last breath?"

They plan on killing All Might?! This is... Insane... I thought to myself.

"I believe he was supposed to be here today yet I see no sign of him. There must've been some change in plans we could not have foreseen. Ah well, in the end, it doesn't matter. I still have a role to play." He then unfurled smoky wings, only for Kirishima and Bakugo to jump and attack him. A huge explosion was set off from Bakugo most likely, causing a massive dust cloud.

As it cleared I could here Kirishima ask "Did you think we were just gonna stand around and let you tear this place to shreds?"

Despite the attack, it seemed the smoke wasn't done. "You live up to your school's reputation, but you should be more careful children. Otherwise, someone might get hurt." As everything cleared I could see what was some sort of metal collar, the only tangible thing on his body at most.

It was then I noticed Thirteen had a cap on his finger opened. Was this how he used his Quirk.

"You two! Get out of the way right now!" The Hero said in desperation.

"I'll scatter you around this facility to meet my comrades AND YOUR DEATH!" He threatened, his smoky body wrapping around all of us.

"Crap! What is this!?" Kirishima shouted.

Panic took hold of me as I realized what exactly his Quirk was. From the way he appeared and how all these Villains got here, not to mention he said he'd "scatter" us. They were good odds as found his Quirk must have been some type of teleportation. He was able to not only teleport himself but other people as well.

My mind already came up with three scenarios that could happen right now. He'd get rid of the obvious threats and send them to areas they'd be their weakest, he'd send Thirteen away as he was the only Pro he'd have to deal with, or... Simply take a chance and send people away as he liked. If so that meant I needed to as many people as possible out of his smoke.

And there was only one person who had the necessary speed for the task.

I put my hands on the ground and caused a wall to pull up, causing the smoke to divide away from me so I could see better. "IIDA! GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN OUT OF THE SMOKE!" I shouted.

I heard a faint "Got it!" from him, allowing me to relax. Hopefully, Ashido was one of the people he got out.

A hand grabbed onto my arm, surprising me. I looked behind me to see it was Hana, her left hand on my arm while her right hand had her weapon out. What shocked me even more, was the smoke covering her bottom half, completely masking it.

I understood immediately and caused the stone floor to cover up my legs making me an anchor, and pulled. It was no use as I began to hear cracking and the whipping of wind. I opened my eyes to see Hana with a look of pure fear on her face. That immediate face began to make a familiar anger take root in me.

No one else knows, do they?! Wait no, Thirteen does most likely, but not anyone else. Either way, I'm not letting her go it alone. You wanted to be a hero, right Mason? Well, not it's fucking time!

The stone helping hold me down broke apart as I let myself go along with Hana. All I could feel was her holding onto me as were wrapped up in the cold darkness. It was as if we were in a dark abyss, forever falling.

* * *

I wasn't sure how long it had been, but I finally saw a light. Next thing I knew we were falling down into- from what I had seen- was the landslide zone with the amount of dirt and stone around. As soon as we were close enough I took my free hand and clenched my fist.

The dirt began to rise up, floating around us and making a rough cushion of sorts. My feet hit the ground, my legs taking in the shock. I let out a deep and heavy breath, Hana in my arms. She then realized we were safe and got out of the bridal carry she had found herself in. She coughed her face a little red.

"Sorry about that..." She said embarrassed.

I crouched down and put my hand to the ground. "Don't worry, I'm sure not a lot of us knew what the enemies Quirk was. I was simply working on a hunch. Also, we got some company heading towards us." I said, getting up and making myself two stone night-sticks.

"R-right. How many?" She asked her fighting attitude back in place.

I closed my eyes and tried focusing. Sure it sucked my Quirk had only a certain range of control, but so long as they were in it, I was the master here. "Up there running down. About five or six people."

"Okay. Any ideas on how to handle them?"

I spun the stone night-stick in my right hand and smiled behind the mask covering my mouth. "Well seeing we don't have many options, seems we'll have to bust a couple skulls or two." I got into a stance, both my weapons at the ready. Hana did the same with her katana, holding at a horizontal position pointed at the group coming right at us.

"Would you really want any other option?" She asked me with a smug smile on her face.

"NOPE!" I said as I rushed in.

"Come on let's make an example of these kids! They think they're tough shiiii-!" The rest was cut off as I hit him right in the face with my left.

The black haired man had a gas mask over his face, currently hunched over. in pain. I then spun and kicked him again, sending him to the ground in a heap. The rest stopped as they saw Hana lay into another guy, hitting him right in the gut and then his legs.

I wasn't one to wait as I wasted no time taking care of the others with numerous hits across the arms and legs to incapacitate them. Right now these guys were the only threats I had to take care of for now. After that, hopefully, get to Aizawa or Thirteen. Anything would help lessen this "invasion" we were under. I slammed my nightstick into one's stomach in a blunt stab, making him cough up some saliva. His nails then extended out like claws.

He took a right swing at me. I backed up and hit his arm to the left to leave him open for my right to uppercut him and leave concussed. I heard a loud groan come from him as he got into a curled up position from the pain.

"Holy shit... What do they teach... Kids nowadays...?"

At the sound of loud footsteps behind me, I turned around and firmly kicked another Villain in the chest. This was followed up with a punch to the stomach and a hit from my left to his ribs. I dropped them and tackled him, making him fall to the ground in a painful heap.

"How to handle scum like you! Seriously, what kind of Villain- Wait, nevermind. I see now."

Hana let a small laugh as she walked over, sheathing her sword. "Even when in a situation like this, you find a way to make jokes?"

"It's a coping mechanic. Then again I think these guys were fighting for the right... claws."

"Fuck... You... Rocky..." The guy with long nails said as he continued to lay down in pain. "I'm a Villain... And not even I... Am willing to make... Puns..."

"Well hey, no one asked if you did, did they? Now," I walked over and snapped my fingers, causing the stone to bind up the Villains. "Why are all of you here? From what I can tell this isn't some damn run of the mill little get-together. What's your plan?" I asked Claws.

"Ain't it clear? We want... All Might... Kill him... Maybe even a few kids in the PROCESS!"

As soon as he said that I heard a shout from Hana, and turned to see her grabbed by some guy with a skull mask on. His skin was a grayish color and scaled like a lizard. He then pointed at me, his hand having frost come from it.

"One move and this snowflake here is gonna make quite the nice trophy for me. Now boy, let all my buds go, surrender, and no one gets hurt. Seems you're an earth manipulator huh? Why only the weapons? I mean you got my buddies all taken care of quite nice for a kid."

This wasn't a good spot to be in. If anything this was a ransom of sorts. I already knew he wasn't going to keep his promise, though. I could already tell with how he held Hana in a restrictive hold while he had his hand ready to freeze her.

"A lizard with an ice Quirk? Seems a bit counterproductive with how they're cold-blooded." I said.

"Well, life is full of surprises now ain't it? Now, let my buddies go or I'll make this girl a nice little ice sculpture. Be a shame to waste such a pretty face. She your girl? That why you acting so tough and not doing what I say? A real stupid thing to do boy."

I could work with this Maybe buy some time for a plan... Damn it! I'm not suited for hostage situations like this!

"And if she is? " I asked.

"Well then just show me what you'll do! Go ahead boy watch as this pretty little thing gets-" He had brought his hand close, to Hana's skin, only for it to make a thud like it had touched thick glass. "What the hell was that- AGHH!" He made a pained sound as Hana brought her leg back, and hit the one spot all men shared for a weakness. Not to mention those were heels she was wearing. That blow made me a bit conscious as she walked over to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, punching him square in the face. He fell to the ground, out like a light. Once again it made that same thudding sound as when he had tried touching her.

"How did you-"

"Let's just say my Quirk has more than just my weapon and Wall creation. It makes good armor as well. Takes time to focus, but it's worth it." She explained. "Thanks for stalling too though... You didn't need to say that, though..."

"What? The whole girlfri-"

"D-DON'T SAY IT!"

* * *

 **A/N: Phewee! That's another one down! All right! Gotta say I love showing how Mason is able to fight so fluidly and use his Quirk in ways that show he's strong, but not TOO strong. Not to mention Hana's more physical application for her Quirk. Rest in peace lizard dude though, he's gonna feel that in jail. Still, next week's is gonna be getting good with all the things I have planned. Not just the fights, but even more with how it's time for Ashido to get some spotlight! Seriously, Hana, you've been hogging our boy for a while now! Now for some review spotlight, and sneak peek! Let's go!**

 **Reviews**

 **pokemonking0924: I feel it was kinda obvious who Mason was gonna be teamed up with. Don't worry though, I've learned a thing or two from Horikoshi when it comes to storytelling.**

 **Lord Terronus: I'm quite thankful that someone was THAT interested in reading my story. As for your questions 1. Nope, not at all. As any person would they would only know of him if they kept up with the news or the sort. 2, yes there's enough said so far where I can say he was involved, not necessarily the one to do it though. Much more development on that with the sports festival.**

 **Sneak peek**

 **"We should try and help Uncle- I mean, Mr. Aizawa."**

 **"No... No..."**

 **"Who am I kidding... I can't even stand without you helping me!"**

 **Get ready for next chapter! May the chains that bind you be released! Time to grit those teeth and show them what you're made of!**

 **P.S. Sorry for the hiccups and late upload, some computer stuff kinda went awry.**


	10. Chapter 10

With my right hand, I spun the stone staff, knocking another Villain into submission as we fought the group off. I was a little bit impressed with how they managed to spread so many around the whole facility. Then again it only showed they must have planned this in advance.

I spun around and swung in front of me, going for their side. They then put their arm up to block the strike, causing my staff to crack a bit. From his smile, he thought he had the upper hand. That is until he saw me smiling as well. The end he had blocked exploded into sand, solidifying until his whole torso and up to his neck were stuck in stone.

To be honest I was disappointed with how he left himself open. Yet it did make sense. Most of these people were probably thugs off the street or lower criminals. It was a viable strategy though having this much cannon fodder to throw at people.

With how easy these guys were to take out it showed two things overall. We were serious about becoming Heroes, and that there was more to this whole plan. So far the only Villains we had met were ones with minor Quirks. That or they had a strong Quirk, just not the overall knowledge of it or other applications in mind. Then again, I did have two pretty good teachers.

Just like any student though I worried about my teachers. Especially right now. Sure Aizawa would be able to handle himself in a fight for a good while, but eventually, he'd get overrun. It gave me even more of a reason to the center of the facility and help.

A body slid by me, unconsciousness wrote all over his face. Walking over to me was Hana, sheathing her sword as she got some of her long hair out of her left eye. For some reason she always kept her right one covered. I guess in a way it a bit pleasing looks wise. Mysterious even if I was being honest.

"You okay Mason? You look worried." She said to me.

I shook my head to clear it. "Yeah, I am. We should try and help Uncle- I mean- Mr. Aizawa." I said, trying to cover up my mistake.

Hana gave me a knowing look. "It's okay. I kinda had a hunch that you two were connected somehow. I just didn't think he was a relative of yours!"

"What gave it away? I'm just curious."

"The napping. That and you guys have the same breathing pattern when snoring."

Those words were a low blow to me. I had no clue that I and Aizawa had so much in common. He really had rubbed off on me with how much of a parent he was. That fact made me even more determined to get to him.

I knew that he was a pro and would be prepared. After all, he wouldn't have gone in if he didn't think he could handle himself. It was that same mentality that worried me though. I was probably one of the only people that knew just how much Aizawa could go in a huge crowd. It was as Izuku said, his Quirk wasn't meant for huge groups. At the end of the day, his best chance was a one-on-one situation.

I was suddenly surprised when Hana put her hand on my shoulder. "Hey, it'll be fine. He's a Pro Hero and our teacher. I'm sure he'll be able to hold out until we get there or some of the staff from school arrives. Don't look sad, okay?"

I nodded and stood up straight. My hand called for some more dirt and sand, causing it to form into another staff for me to use. "Right. I'll get if you don't want to follow me. I just ask that you try to stay safe or somehow get help. The last thing I'd want is for you get hurt because of my dumb idea." I began to make my way when I suddenly walked into an invisible wall.

"Don't think it'll be that easy to get rid of me!" She shouted. "No way am I letting you go alone. I'll admit you're a good fighter and b-braver than me at times. But no way am I letting you go alone. After all," She drew her sword and stood in front of me, her green eye looking into own green. "Heroes never stand alone now, do they?"

I laughed and gave her a smug smile. "Aren't I supposed to be the stubborn one?"

Once again she blushed. "Sh-shut up! I'm trying to help y-you, you know?"

"I know Hana. After all, I saved you about two times now? Maybe you'll be able to cover for me."

* * *

After some talking we began to make our way through the landslide zone, looking for an exit of sorts. As we made our way down the air seemed to be much colder. This was one of the few times I had regretted making my costume not have any sleeves.

 _Maybe they can make me a winter edition? I mean all Heroes got costumes for certain situations, right? Right!?_

I then laughed a little as a thought came to mind. There was one little thing I'd wanted to say when it was cold out. Then again, it had been something my friend had said me that actually shocked me with how clever it was.

"What's so funny? Also aren't you cold with no sleeves?" Hana asked me.

"Hell yes. Though not really. It's bearable, but not something I'd like to stay in."

"Agreed, and to be clear I'm not saying that because of well... You get the idea."

I was confused for a few moments until I understood, my own face becoming red for once. "Yeah, we should... Get out of here soon and- Holy crap what happened here!?" I said in surprise as I saw numerous Villains frozen in ice.

My pace quickened as I ran down the hill, which then turned into sliding down it. I kept my hand on the ground in order to control the speed at which I saw sliding down. Hana was right behind me and stopped to catch her breath as we looked at the "massacre".

Already I knew who it could've been from our class that did this. No wonder Todoroki got in through recommendations, he was a beast as much as I or Bakugo was. Both of us had more or less elemental-type Quirks. the only difference is I could control it, while he threw it out. To be it simply is was like a gun that you needed to aim, meanwhile, my Earth Manipulation was like a guided missile that I could send wherever I want.

Even with that, he was still a little bit out of my league. Not even I could plan for how to handle him if we were up against one another. Bakugo sure. Izuku would most likely come down to a battle of strategy. "Icy-Hot" though as Bakugo put it? Not a chance. I'd be a "tumbleweed in the wind" as my mom would say.

"Impressive. Even after seeing him in the battle training, the power behind his Quirk still surprises me. Right, Mason?"

"Yeah, Todoroki sure is something else."

It seemed most of the Villains were knocked unconscious, only a few rare ones covered in frost. I didn't have long to look at some or interrogate one as I moved out of the way, barely dodging a blast of cold. A small bit of frost was on my arm. I paid it no mind as I had my stone staff at the ready.

I was ready to fight until I saw that the one to have sent the blast was no one other than Todoroki himself, a surprised look on his face. He hurried over, his eyes somewhat downcast.

"Sorry about that. I thought you two were trying to ambush me as I made my way out of here. It's good to see others though. Seems I was right with all of us being spread throughout the facility." He said, looking outside the zone.

"Yeah. We've been making our way through here looking for a way to get out. I will say it's good to see you though. We were just admiring your handiwork actually." I said to him.

He smiled and nodded. "Not how I would put it, but thanks. As for a way out, we're gonna need to be quick. From what I was able to gather from some of these thugs we need to get to Mr. Aizawa and warn him. I'll fill you in as we make our way there." He said. We both nodded and ran behind him.

"So, what did you learn?" I asked him.

"Apparently they were just gathered by that man with the hands on his face and body. Most said that he had asked them if they wanted to kill All Might and that he had the means to. What those means are, I have no clue."

"I may have an idea." We both looked behind us at Hana. "From what we saw at the beginning there's only about three or four at least that are threats. The smoke guy who separated all of us, the hand's guy Todoroki is talking about, and that bird guy. He may the 'means' they have."

"That's actually highly likely now that I think about it," I said. "But how? I mean he keeps information about his Quirk secret, so how did they pinpoint a weakness?"

"Whatever it is," Todoroki said as we approached the exit. "They definitely planned this out. Even if they did recruit a bunch of thugs and common criminals, it took them a long time to gather this number of people, nevermind the exact time and place he would be at. The fact one of those goons said they have a way of killing All Might unsettles me even more. Now come on we're almost out of-"

"I DON'T THINK SO LITTLE MORSELS!"

The ground in front of us suddenly exploded. I stopped and threw up a stone barrier to shield us from harm as the stone flew out everywhere. How did I not detect him within my zone of control?! So long as people were within range for my Quirk I was able to detect them through the dirt and stone.

In front of us stood a muscled man with skin almost as tan as mine. He had a mask over his mouth and nose, making look like he had a huge smile of fangs. Besides the fact he was wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants, the only other feature about him was his hands. They were straight up claws, similar to a mole's.

"Good thing I headed here, huh? Knew I'd found myself a good appetizer or two! Too bad they're only kids and not All Might. Now that would be a prize!" He said as he brandished his claws. "Too bad. Seems you light snacks with have to do for now until the main course arrives. Now come out from behind your little rock!"

We all moved out of the way as he broke the stone apart as if it was nothing. I and Hana had our weapons at the ready, while Todorki was the closest to the exit. With how we were positioned there was only one option. Though I doubted he'd be up for it.

I rushed at the mole-man, stabbing forward with the staff. He put his claws to block. "Todoroki go! We'll hold him off!"

"Are you idiotic?! Just let me put him on ice right now."

"Go," Hana said. "Doing that is going to cost us more time. Get to Thirteen or Mr. Aizawa while we hold him off. Your Quirk will be more help to him anyways. Your ice can work for speed as well, right? Use that and GO! Tell them it's a trap for All Might!" She shouted as she charged in to help me.

At first, it seemed he hesitated until I felt his footsteps going out of my range. I felt relaxed with knowing that someone would be able to get to Aizawa and help him. I gave a look at Hana, and she nodded. Time for that training to be put into use.

I jumped back, slamming my staff into the ground and letting it gather more stone. Hana rushed in with her sword, slicing downwards at the Villain. For having big claws he did know how to use them effectively. His speed surprised me with how he could keep up with the fast strikes.

Once I was ready I came from the side, slamming my stone hammer into and launching him away. He dug his claws into the ground, halting his slide.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! Let me guess, you got some kind of Quirk that allows you to control stone and all that jazz? A lot more useful than my claws, though not as effective!" He said as he pounced at me, bringing his claws down and breaking my stone hammer. "You see these things are much harder than you think. My claws can cut through a car with ease! Your little weapons are like twigs to me!"

"Really now? Then how about something harder?" Hana slid underneath him and brought her sword up to uppercut him. This caught the mole-man off guard as he tried to shield his body from the blows. He went to strike, only to hit what had to be a barrier that Hana made.

What happened next just showed how skilled she was. She simply walked through the barrier, hitting him when he was exposed only to make a barrier to cover her back when he went to hit with one of his claws. She was a deadly dance of purple and gold as she attacked him. As he went for a wide swing she got down low, changing to an underhand grip and hitting his side, a loud crack resounding through the area. He let out a howl of pain.

"You bitch!" He went for another swing, only to fall for the same trick again. It seemed like he was about to make the same mistake when he spun around and kicked Hana in her side. He quickly rushed out and tackled into her as she fell to the ground. "That's what you get!"

My whole body went into overdrive as I ran over, throwing a stone shield over Hana as I jumped and went for a dropkick. All I managed to do was push him away as he blocked my surprise attack. I held my hand out, creating myself a stone staff to use. I ran at him, hitting any exposed part I could get at. I swung downwards for a feint, stabbing at his chest to push him back. As he recovered from the blow I broke the stone staff in half, for my two night-sticks.

Never before had I felt my adrenaline spike up like this during a fight. Not even during training with Aizawa had I been this scared. It was as if all of my fear was being put out with each strike I sent at him. I brought the stone weapons down upon him, making an x-swing across his chest.

He stabbed with his claws surprising me. I tried to put my arms up to block it. I didn't have any time to dodge or even duck for that matter. I closed my eyes as I prepared for the pain that was coming my way. No doubt my bracers would be broken upon impact.

I wasn't surprised when I felt a warm liquid hit my face. I opened my eyes, expecting to see blood on my arms. There was, but not in the way I expected it. Standing there was Hana, her sword stained red and the mole man's eye wide with shock, along with a long gash on his shoulder. He took one one of his hands and felt it. As soon as he saw his own blood he began to laugh. It was a terrifying sight as he continued his insane laughter.

"OHOHOHOHO! Seems we have a fighter after all huh? You're not just a bitch now little girl, you're fit for a meal! And let's just say I don't leave any leftovers." He said as he then smacked her out of the way. As she maneuvered herself to land, she let out a scream of pain and collapsed, holding her leg. The Villain made his way over slowly as if he was playing with her. My body had frozen up as old memories came back. "Now, time for the appetizer! After all, All Might is the only one who can take te title of 'main course' from my perspective."

"No... No..." I fell to the ground on my hands and knees. My whole body was burning with anger. This was just like last time. the claws seemed like knives as I looked at him. That was all the motivation I needed as the ground began to crack around me.

Looks like I had to come to terms with the whole package that my power was.

"So Appetizer, any last words? I like to have a little book of all the things my meals have said before I take care of them, now go, tell me."

"Behind you."

"Unique choice of wo-" the rest was cut off by the stone fist that flew through the air as my held out my hand, numerous other pieces of stone levitating around me.

"Get. Away. From her." I said, my eyes filled with anger.

"And if I don't?" He asked me, angering me even more. I answered with another strike from the stone fist flying through the air.

"Then don't blame me for the ass-kicking you're about to receive." I brought my arms out, throwing them out causing all the floating stone to shoot at him. "I planned on saving this for a worthy Villain, but oh well. YOU'LL HAVE TO DO."

It was like I was firing a machine gun of stone bullets at him. The barrage kept on going with the numerous size-varied pieces of sharpened rock. I moved my hand in a swiping motion, causing them to come together and strike at his right arm like a stone serpent. He grunted as he attempted to block it.

I smiled as I stomped my foot, causing the ground to shoot forward at him, the stones spiking and tackling into him. I swung my arm again, shooting another line of rock at him along with various ones floating around me. I held out my hand, causing them to turn into sand and form back into a spear for me to use.

"Holy... Shit... What was that..." The mole man said.

I walked over just like he did with Hana, spinning my spear and shooting more stones at him. They melted into the ground making sure his legs and hands were shackled to the ground as he lay on his back.

My finger traced around the spear tip, making sure it had a good razor edge and point. I pointed the weapon at him, pushing enough into his arm to hurt, but not enough to draw blood. I looked at him, anger still evident in my eyes as I waited for him to make another remark.

"What did I tell you, kid? Your little rocks are nothing compared to my-"

"Shut up or I _will_ draw blood. I'm all willing to be a hero but the one thing I won't stand for is those who threaten my friends, or innocent people, or who are a danger to the community. If not for the career I want to take I would put you six feet under right now and let you suffocate as I let sand pour into your lungs. Now, you're going to stay here like a good Villain while I help my friend out of here because you broke her leg, got it? The last thing I need is to join my father in jail when I want to be a Hero." I said to him. His eyes filled with fear.

"G-g-g-got it. Please, don't kill me." He said, fear all too evident in his eye.

"Oh I won't," I said as I let my spear turn into sand and drop onto the ground. I turned around and began to leave until I heard the restraints break. Without turning around I made the ground shoot up a fist of stone. As he grabbed his jaw I turned around, making the stone cover my entire upper arm in stone. I reared back my arm, and let my fist fly. He stumbled back, his eyes rolling into his head as he fell unconscious.

I turned around and began to leave until I heard the restraints break. Without turning around I made the ground shoot up a fist of stone. As he grabbed his jaw I turned around, making the stone cover my entire upper arm in stone. I reared back my arm, and let my punch fly into his face. The force making him stumble back, his eyes rolling into his head as he fell unconscious.

After making sure to properly restrain him I made my way over to Hana. She was still holding her leg, trying to get herself up using her katana. I took off my mask and looked to see if it would be a perfect length. I then hovered my hand over the ground, creating two boards of stone.

"Can you keep your leg straight?" I asked.

"Y-yeah. K-kinda." She said, obviously trying to will through the pain. I took the two boards and put them on both sides of her left leg, using my mask as a cloth to tie it together for a makeshift splint. I let her put her hand on my shoulder for support, creating myself a staff to use t help myself.

I took the two boards and put them on both sides of her left leg, using my mask as a cloth to tie it together for a makeshift splint. I let her put her hand on my shoulder for support, creating myself a staff to use to help myself.

That had been the first time I ever used the full use of my Quirk before. While I could shape stone into any shape I wanted, the other part of my Quirk was full on control of the ground. Sure it was powerful and able to do a lot of damage, but it also could get out of control when it came to my emotions. As we made our way out of the Landslide Zone.

We slowly made our way out with how one of us was injured, and the other exhausted. Hana seemed to have a depressed look on her face. I adjusted my arm to make sure she had some better support.

"You okay Hana? If you want I could find us a safe place to hide in. It'd be better on your leg as well." I offered.

"It's not my leg. It's... That was my first fight with a Villain. I thought I'd be able to do more to help. But all I did was just get swatted out of the way and made you go... Whatever that was..." We stopped and rested by a wall. "I thought I'd be of help to you, but I just made you another person to worry about. Who am I kidding... I can't even stand without you helping me! This is what? The third time you've saved me? I'm useless..."

I nodded. "Don't ever think that you're a burden. It was as you said, Heroes never stand alone."

"How can I not be a burden? I'm shy and only when push comes to shove do I ever act seriously. You're strong, and one of the best in the class. You can easily make friends and not have to worry about a single thing or what people think of you! You have a reason for being a Hero with how your father is in jail, right?"

"So you did hear that... Yeah, I have my reasons. Then again _everyone_ has a reason, even if it's big or small, selfish or selfless. And you are not a burden. You were as much a Hero as I was back there. Don't you ever, EVER think otherwise got it? You are not a burden to me. You're my friend and a damn good one at that. Not a lot of people would be willing to stand by me. Not to mention, seems things are about to change." I said.

"Why's that?" Hana asked. All I did was point my finger at the exit, and she smiled. "Looks like you're right."

I smiled as well as I looked at the Symbol of Peace arrive, All Might. It seemed there really was hope in this world. And that fact gave me hope that we'd be able to make it out of here alive.

"Let's go, Hana. Pretty sure Ashido is worried sick about us."

* * *

 **A/N: Thus another chapter is done! Can't wait to get to the Sports Festival soon, but there is much to do before that. Also, damn you guys are just breaking into this thing! Over 6000 views, 70 followers, and almost 60 favorites. You guys are constantly surprising me with these numbers. Half of the time I wonder how you even found my story. I appreciate all of it a lot, every last viewer. Even if you're a guest account, I still appreciate it. Now, for the reviews spotlight!**

 **pokemonking0924: Glad to always see a review from you, my friend! I planned on Mason's deal with the rock wall as a way to show he does think about other's safety in general. That and the flashback in order to show what exactly his drive is to be a hero. Something I am going to love using in the future when we get to the other arcs. My general idea in mind was to have Mason and Hana at a sort of medium when it came to Izuku, Todoroki, and Bakugo. Sure they can handle themselves, but just like everyone else, they got a LONG way to go. And that hostage moment was just to give some ammo to the HanaXMason shippers. We all know they're out there ;) As for what happens next... Oh, it's gonna be good!**

 **Sonic hedgehog: Mason and Hana do make quite a good team, seeing as I made two OCs specifically due to some of the team up moments. Such as the final exam... But that's a much later planned thing that's still in the rough stages. As for who that girl is, who knows. She may make an appearance soon for all we know...**

 **Deathsword: I'm happy to see you feel that way with each chapter I do. As for the love triangle, it may be a cliche thing, but it always works.**

 **Guest: If only you knew the early concepts I had for Mason...**

 **Now for the preview section!**

 **"He wasn't smiling."**

 **"Ahsido, you know it's gonna take more than a couple thugs to bring me down."**

 **"Well come and get me, if you dare."**


	11. Chapter 11

It felt like a giant weight was lifted off my chest as I supported Hana up. We both looked at the stairs in front of the front entrance to the USJ to see All Might standing there. Relief flooded through me as I realized that help had finally arrived, even if it was only one hero. Then again this was All Might, the Number One Hero.

We continued making our way to the entrance as best as we could. If not for that Villain and me having to use my Quirk to that extent, I might've been able to pull my jumping trick so we could get over there quicker. Though neither of us was really in the best condition at the moment.

My eyes then carried over to the stairs we'd have to go up, and the huge group of Villains still standing. They were going to be a problem, especially with the shape me and Hana were in. I could fight to a certain degree if I had to, but my reflexes were shot if it came to running around and having to evade the enemy. Hana could barely even move without help because of her leg. We didn't really have an option though.

"Hey Hana, are you ready for something risky?" I asked her.

"He wasn't smiling..."

I was confused when she said this. "What?"

"A-All Might... He w-wasn't smiling like he usually does."

I looked up to confirm and saw she was right. That face was one of rage almost, mixed with regret as well. It was a familiar face I had once back in middle school when that one event happened. Though I doubt he had such a lack of control of his emotions though. He wouldn't do what I had done.

"W-what's your plan? Mason?"

I snapped out of my thoughts at Hana's voice. "Well let's just say it may go well, or make me get some sleep for a while."

"If that's what's going to happen, don't do it." I felt her grip on my shoulder tighten for a moment. "Don't hurt yourself for the sake of others, especially me. It's okay if you're at your limit Mason. I can handle the pain for a bit longer."

"And risk getting both of us hurt?" I took my free hand and motioned it over at the pack of Villains looking at the Symbol of Peace. "It's better if one of us is out of commission and both of us safe, than both of us being in danger when neither of us can fight back. Heroes always have to take a risk at times in order to save people. And this is one I'm going to take. Trust me, okay?"

She closed her eyes for a second, her face grim. it turned into a sigh as she nodded. "Okay, I'll tr-trust you. Don't say I didn't warn you though when Ashido yells at you for making her w-worry."

"In that case, it may be best if you get into a better position."

"Wait what do you mean by- WHAH!" She said before letting out a surprised shout.

I didn't blame her for her outburst as I hoisted her onto my back and held her legs by arms. Sure this wasn't the most flattering way to carry someone, especially a girl, but it was all I could think of at the moment. The fact she was holding onto me and pressing herself onto my back was not helping one bit as I tried to focus.

After all, this was either going to make or break me after it was done. Causing the ground to essential launch me into the air was a good maneuver tactic, but it was difficult depending on the terrain. It was like launching something out of a catapult, meaning trajectory was everything. I didn't forget about the some of the Villains having projectile Quirks either. Hopefully, it would all work out. My vest was made out of Kevlar after all, so I wouldn't get that hurt.

"Hold on tight, I don't want you to fall off," I said as I crouched down, the ground loading like a spring.

"I am!"

"Well, then here we go!"

The ground under us solidified into stone, the pillar shooting up at an angle good enough for us to land over by the entrance. As we were in the air I could see some of the students from our class hadn't been teleported by that smoke guy. I wasn't sure how and where we'd land, but we'd definitely be safe.

"Mason look All Might's-"

I couldn't hear the rest as we began to drop as gravity took over. I looked to see what she was talking about. All Might had more or less taken care of the Villains we had to avoid that was by the stairs. We were then surprised as a giant explosion was set off over where All Might was. As soon as it had hit we landed, my boots absorbing the initial shock. I almost fell to the ground before I saw a familiar line of tape shoot out and steady us.

My vision was blurry as I tried to make out everything. I felt Hana be pulled off of me, probably someone from the class helping her due to her broken leg. All I could do was feel the numerous footsteps on the ground due to my Quirk.

It was like someone was shaking my eyes, making the colors mix around and shapes collide against one another. All I could do was stay there on my hands and knees. I fumbled trying to get my mask off. With how my whole body was shaking I knew I had reached my limit until I got some rest. Until then I was just a wreck.

"Hey dude you okay? You're not looking too great." I tried my best to look up at who was talking.

"Sero... Right? I'm fine, just need... To relax for a few minutes." I said.

"Alright man, just making sure you're okay. Still, though, that was a pretty far fall. How did you manage to even land-"

"MASON!" I heard an all too familiar voice say as it ran into me. Despite my eyes lack of focusing, I could tell just by her voice that it was Ashido who had that ran into me. "I'm so glad that you're okay! Almost everyone was gone and Thirteen..." Even without my eyes I could she had been crying. I put my arm around her to comfort her. She wrapped both of hers around me into a hug, surprising me.

"Hey it'll be fine now, All Might's here right? Also, where's Iida?" I asked her.

"He went to go get help from the other teachers. That guy who teleported you guys left us alone after he managed to get out. I'm just glad you and Hana are both..." She stopped. I had a feeling she happened to see my eyes and how red and strained they were. "Are you-"

"Just a little mental strain. I'll be fine. Me and Hana ran into a Villain that gave us a bad time. She got the broken leg from trying to fight him off. This is just from the little stunt I pulled. Don't trouble yourself worrying about me. I'll be fine." I said trying to reassure her.

With how she was holding onto me I could see she must've been worried out of her mind about me and Hana. Sure she was popular and got along well with everybody, but it seemed everything had begun to have its effect on her. We were dealing with what Pros would after all.

She then stopped after realizing how it may look to everyone else. "Can you stand Mason or...?"

I smiled. "I may need a little bit of help. Feels like I'm in a kaleidoscope right now." I felt her take my hand and guide me as I made an effort to stand up slowly. With how my bearings were right now, I felt like I'd fall at any moment.

Thankfully as we walked my eyes were beginning to clear up now. I could see a little bit better, but I wasn't in the condition I'd like to be in. My head was pounding, and my arms heavy. Seems this is what my dad was talking about when it came to using my Terraform half.

My right hand was still shaking a bit from how much power I had put into moving the ground around. Not to mention the weight I was controlling. We stopped by Thirteen, and he wasn't looking too good. The whole back of his suit had been shredded, and his back had numerous cuts on it.

"Is he-"

"I'll... Be fine... Just glad to see you and Miss... Kennagasa made it back safely." He said, obviously straining himself. "Good move trying to protect everyone with those walls... And calling out for Iida to get them out... Should've guessed his Quirk was... A warp gate..."

"Stop talking, you're just gonna strain yourself more Thirteen." I then looked back to Ashido as she stayed by Thirteen. "What about Mr. Aizawa? How is he..." As I said his name she looked down, tears making their way back.

"All Might came at a good time. He got grabbed by that bird guy, and-"

"You don't need to say anything else Ashido," I said to her as I walked over to the stairs. "I need to ask you guys a favor." I continued, getting everyone's attention. From here I could make out All Might was in trouble, and Izuku was running over to him. I tried to hide the pain going through my head as I spoke. "If things get rough hide, run, do whatever. Take care of Hana too. She may be an emitter like me, but she's still got a broken leg. Out of all of us right now I'm most suited for combat, and I'm not gonna stand by like this while All Might is in trouble, Pro or not." I bent my legs and spread my hands out. "I'm going in."

"Dude are you insane?!" Sero said.

"If insane means I'm willing to help out and show these guys what we're made of, then yeah."

I prepared to launch myself as I felt someone grab onto the neck of my vest. I turned around to see Ashido push something into my chest. It was my mask I'd taken off. I smiled and put it over my face.

"Don't get yourself killed or hurt, okay? You promised me that lunch on Sunday, remember?." She said, trying her best not to cry.

"You make it sound like I'm going on a suicide mission or something." I put my hand on her shoulder. "Ashido, you know it's gonna take more than few thugs to take me down. I'll be back, promise." I said with a smile.

"You better!"

"Yeah! And Mason," I looked to see Uraraka walk up to me. "Help out Deku, okay?" She asked me.

"Who?"

She got a bit red in the face. "I mean- Midoriya. Please."

 _Well, bud seems you got quite the teammate._ I thought to myself with a smile."I will. Welp, time for the Cavalry to arrive." I said as I turned back around, launching myself over, making sure the stone returned back to its form.

Unlike last time I had shot myself at an inclined angle downwards. This was the way my mobility was supposed to be used, sliding down objects and being able to deal a nice blow with some force behind it. Even though my eyes were strained and my body was in pain, I used that to push myself.

I let my hands drop down, gathering myself two spears to use. If I used them to stab the guy holding All Might, I could further pin him down and restrict his movement. My plan changed as I got closer to Izuku, seeing the smoke guy from before appearing in front of him as he rushed to help All Might. I was hurtling right at them, almost right on top of them as IZuku was about to go through.

 _Come on think think think think! Think of something to do!_ I screamed in my mind, running through numerous plans in my mind.

All the plans in my head disappeared as someone raced by me. "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY DEKU!"

I landed on my feet and turned over in All Might and the bird man's direction. Bakugo had given quite a good diversion for me to do my original plan. I took both of my arms and threw the stone javelin's into the creature's arms and back into the ground. Ice began to cover them. I turned around to see Todoroki being the source of the attack.

"One of your poorly trained thugs told me you're here because you think you can kill All Might." He said.

All Might pry the thing's arms open and flipped out of its grip and landed next to Todoroki, his left side bleeding as he grabbed it in pain. Izuku seemed shocked with how all of us managed to get here at about the same time. Then again, I wasn't complaining. Felt kinda cool actually. Kirishima then landed in front of the guy with hands on his body and attempted to attack him only for the ringleader to dodge.

"Damn that was gonna be cool!" He said aggravated.

"Guess I found your body that time ya smokey bastard!" Bakugo said, reveling in his revenge.

"The Symbol of Peace will not be defeated by delinquents like you," Todoroki said.

"Because," I slammed my fist together, causing dirt and sand from the ground to cover my bracers and forearms. "The god damn Calvary has arrived!"

All of us stood there waiting for the other to make a move. The bird guy was half frozen and impaled while his body was separated by some sort of portal. Hands just stood there, either thinking of a plan or a means of retreat.

He then spoke, his voice raspy and squeaky. "Kurogiri, how could you let these brats get the best of you? You've gotten us into a real jam here." He looked at the smoke guy that Bakugo had pinned.

"You got careless you dumb Villain." He gloated as he held him down by his metal collar. "It wasn't hard to figure you out. Only certain parts of you turn into that smoking warp gate. You use that mist to hide your actual body as a kind of distraction, thinking that made you safe. That's why we missed. But if you didn't have a body you wouldn't be wearing this neck armor, right? You're not immune to physical attacks if they're well aimed." Kurogiri then tried to move, only for Bakugo to let off a small explosion against the neck armor. "Don't move." He got in close, his eyes filled with that usual murderous intent. "You try anything funny and I'll blow your ass up so bad they'll be piecing you up back together for weeks!"

"Whoa, that doesn't sound very heroic," Kirishima said. I shook my head. Just when I thought the rage-filled demon was an act and Bakugo had some decency, he had to prove me wrong.

"They escaped uninjured and captured my two strongest men. Kids these days really are amazing. They make the League of Villains look like amateurs. Can't have that." Hands then looked at the birdman. "Nomu." At this the upper half of the creature sunk into the portal surprising all of us.

Even though half of his body was frozen and his legs and arms were impaled into the ground, he brought his body up through sheer force. Once his body was through his right arm that was frozen broke apart, along with his lower right leg. It tried to stand up, only to fall onto its hand and knee.

"How is that thing still moving... He's all messed up." Izuku said.

"Stay back everybody!" All Might shouted as the true horror was revealed to us.

The frozen bits of his body fell, revealing the grotesque red flesh of his body. It began to grow out and weave among itself, forming into limbs. Once that was done and it could stand, even its skin began to... Regenerate.

"What this?! I thought you said his Quirk was Shock Absorption!" All Might shouted at Hands.

"I didn't say that was his only Quirk." I swallowed the saliva that built up in my throat, the ground under me shifting at hearing that.

I swallowed the saliva that built up in my throat at hearing that.

"He also possesses Super Regeneration. Nomu has been modified to take you on at even one-hundred percent of your power. He's basically a highly efficient punching bag that hits back. But first, we need to free our means of escape." As soon as the Nomu vanished I panicked and made another stone spear.

As soon as the Nomu vanished I panicked and made another stone spear. I wasn't prepared as Nomu punched at Bakugo, causing a giant blast of air knocking us back and ripping through the trees around us. Across from the monster was a wall, where only one person could've been hit.

"Kaa-chan!" Izuku yelled. We then looked behind us to see... Was he sitting right behind us this whole time? "Kaa-chan? Whoa, that's awesome you dodged him!"

"Shut up, no I didn't you damn nerd." He had sweat dripping down his head, an angered look on his face.

"Wait. Then how'd you get over here?" Asked Kirishima. We looked over at the wall to see the dust clear.

"Isn't it obvious?" Todoroki said.

We then looked to see All Might, his arms up in a blocking stance. He looked up at the three Villains, bruised and injured. "These are kids and you didn't even hold back?"

"I didn't have much choice, he was threatening my companion. Besides, these kids are no angels. The plain looking one? He tried to kill me with a maxed out punch. What kind of Hero does something like that? You think you can get away with being as violent as you want if you say it's for the sake of others." Hands raised up arms. "Well, you know what All Might? That pisses me off! Why do people get to decide that someone violent acts are moral while others are villainous? Casting judgment on what's good and evil. You think you're the Symbol of Peace? Ha! You're just another government-sponsored instrument of violence. And violence always breeds more violence. I'll make sure the world understands that when you're dead."

"You're nothing but a lunatic." All Might said, stand up straight. "Criminals like you, you always try and make your actions sound noble, but admit you're only doing this because you like it!" He said, anger in his voice at the end. "Isn't that right!?"

Hands seemed to hesitate after he said that. The only good thing coming out of this situation was more time for Iida to get the teachers, and for my body to recover. Only a small throb in my left temple was left, which was good enough for me to do a thing or two.

"We got them outnumbered," Todoroki said, and he was right.

"And Kaa-chan found the mist guy's weakness." Izuku pointed out.

"These guys may act tough, but we can take them down with All Might's help." Kirishima hardened his arms. "Let's do this!"

"DON'T ATTACK!" We heard All Might shout at us. "Get out of here!"

"You would've been in trouble earlier if it weren't for us remember? You need our help."

"I thank you for your assistance Todoroki, but this is different." All Might brought back his left arm. "It's gonna be alright, just sit back and watch a Pro at work!"

"But you're bleeding! And you're almost out of ti-" Izuku seemed to cut himself off from saying something. At this, All Might gave us a thumbs up as he stood tall and faced in the Villains direction.

"Nomu, Kurogiri, kill him. I'll deal with the children." Hands said. "Let's clear this level and go home." He then ran at us, his hands out wide. No doubt his Quirk had to be a contact type of some sort, or at the most close range.

"Heads up. Looks like we're fighting after all," Kirishima said.

It looked like we were about to face Hands as the air around All Might began to swirl around him, and he launched forward at Nomu, their fist colliding against one another's. The collision caused a shockwave to blow through the area. I put my hands up to block the dust and air pressure. What did All Might plan on doing against someone with Shock... Ab... Sorption.

I smiled. I guess that's what separated us students from Pros, they always had a plan.

The collision of it then turned into an all-out slugfest, their arms nothing but a blur and each punch causing another blast of air to rip through. The force was strong enough to push us away from the fight and to keep Kurogiri and Hands away from us as well.

"He's gonna fight that brain guy head on?" Izuku asked, trying to not get blown away.

"Wow, they're- So fast!" Kirishima said as he tried to not fall over.

Even the ground around them began to fracture. I was in disbelief at just how much power was behind each of his punches, each living up to his phenomenal strength. "So, you were made to fight me, big guy? If you can live to stand me at one-hundred percent of my power, then I'll just have to go beyond that and force you to surrender!" I heard him shout. He then gave a big left hook, sending the creature crashing through the trees.

Just as easy as he had been punched away, he got back up and pounced at All Might, the two grappling and tumbling as they went through the air, pieces of the ground flying up with each landing. He then grabbed it by the arm and threw him to the ground causing it make a crater. The body bounced off the ground, All Might landing right in front of him in a flash of white and blonde hair.

"Now for a lesson, you may have heard these words before, but I'll teach you what they really mean!" He said as he pulled back his right arm and made a fist, steam billowing from it. "PLUS. ULTRAAAAAA!" He shouted, his punch connecting and sending the creature called Nomu through the air and into the light fixtures and into the wall surrounding the entire facility, the lights blowing up around it.

There was so much force the whole place shook, and a hole where the creature had been shot through. All I could see was a hole to the blue sky, and just how much the ground had been broken up for the two combatants.

"That was like a finishing move out of a video game! He beat the Shock Absorption right out of him. I've never seen that kind of brute strength." Kirishima said in awe.

"Imagine having power like that," Bakugo said. "He must've punched him so fast he couldn't regenerate."

All I could do was simply look at what it meant to be the Number One hero. Even if one of us became a hero and were celebrated as one of the Top, I doubt whoever had Number One after All Might retired would never be able to hold a candle to his strength.

"Back in my hay day, five hits would've been enough to knock that guy out." All Might said, his body beat up and shirt torn up. He stood up and put his right fist on his chest. "But today, it took more than three-hundred mighty blows." He then turned around to Hands and Kurogiri. "You've been bested Villains. Surrender, we all want to get this over with quickly."

We all waited for his response. From the way he was nervously scratching, I could tell that he knew there was no way out of this. Unless he either retreated or gave up, there was no way out of this. Fighting us and All Might all together was out of the question, especially with us knowing Kurogiri's weakness.

"What's wrong?" All Might said to Hands, startling him.

 _So he is nervous..._ I thought to myself.

"Not attacking me? Didn't you say you were going to clear this level earlier? Well come and get me, if you dare."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh yeah another one bites the dust! To be honest wasn't sure if I would be able to get done with time with how hectic this week's been. But as they say, write the story unconsciously, and fill the blanks consciously. Not sure who said that to me once, but whoever you are, know it's a quote I won't forget! Still, now that the action is gonna die down a bit, time for some nice relief for our characters! To the reviews now!**

 **pokemonking0924: Yes, finally got your name without having to check on another tab! On another note, glad to see you enjoy my story. As for what they'll do, that was answered here.**

 **Time for our sneak peeks for next chapter! The conclusion to "Season One" if you will of this story.**

 **"Midoriya!"**

 **"Detective, what about Mr. Aizawa?"**

 **"All it means is I have to push harder, we all do. We wanna be Heroes, right? So let's show what we got!"**


	12. Chapter 12

It was good to see the Villain with hands all over his face flay his arms in surprise at All Might's statement. Hopefully, they would retreat and things could get back to somewhat normal. If they didn't, that meant facing us, All Might, and the help Iida went to get.

"Man, this is... Intense." Said Bakugo.

"As I expected, there's no reason to fight now, he'll handle this."

"Yeah," I said agreeing with Todoroki.

Kirishima turned around and waved for us to follow. We began to walk back to the others. "Come on Midoriya, we should regroup with the other guys! The last thing we want to do is get taken hostage, or be in his way." We turned to see Midoriya hadn't budged an inch. What was on his mind? Was he that adamant on staying by All Might's side?

"What?" All Might shouted at the two Villains. "Are you scared?"

Hands seemed to hesitate on what to do. He then put his own hands on his neck and began to scratch like he was itching. "Only if Nomu was here, he'd rush you right now! Pound you into the ground without giving it a second thought!"

Kurogiri then looked over his shoulder. He said something to him that seemed to almost reassure and soothe Hands.

 _Kurogiri... Nomu... I need to remember those names._ I said to myself in my head as I focused on the situation. Out of the whole class, some of the more combat-oriented students were here, which was good in case push came to shove. That the ground was perfect for my Quirk to throw up a wall or arm myself.

My body then felt subtle vibrations through the ground. I turned around quickly to see some of the Villains that Aizawa and All Might had dealt with were getting back up again. Instinctively I grabbed a piece of stone and shaped it into a staff.

"I think All Might can hold his own against those two main guys. Let's make sure these ones don't hurt anybody else." Kirishima said, looking to me and Bakugo.

I nodded. "Right. I and Todoroki can keep them in check if need be."

"Will you be joining us?" Todoroki asked Midoriya. As he did that I kept my eye on the Villains.

There was at least thirty of them. Big groups in a small area were good for my Quirk though, considering my overall area of control. The sound of feet running and something making a heavy jump made me turn around to see a circle of dust where IZuku had been.

Looking over at Hands rushing at All Might, I saw Izuku in the air beside Kurogiri, his legs obviously broken with how they were flailing.

"Midoriya!" Kirishima shouted in concern.

Just from how he had his arm pulled back, I could tell he was going to try and go in for a punch at the warp gate user's metal color. Sure it was a good plan, but risky nonetheless. "DON'T YOU TOUCH ALL MIGHT, YOU STUPID VILLAIN!" He shouted. It seemed like he would be able to land a solid blow until my heart sank as the Hands guy's own hand appeared right in front of Izuku's face.

The ground began to break around me as small pebbles floated up. _Just a simple flick of the wrist, shoot it like a bullet. Like a- Bullet?_ I thought as the sound of a gun rang through my ears. Did I put in that much power that it sounded like a gunshot? As Izuku fell to the ground, everyone looked up to the entrance to see quite a sight for sore eyes.

Standing there was Iida, along with what I had to presume were teachers who were on campus. One with a cowboy-like appearance let off a few more shots, each one going in a different direction. I recognized him as Snipe, a hero known for his cowboy look and mannerisms.

All the nearby Villains looked up to see them, and voice was speaking as well, a sort of light-toned one. "Sorry, everyone! I know we're a bit late, but I got the teacher's over here as fast as I could!"

Then another voice, Iida's own, began to shout. "Your class rep has returned! I have fulfilled my duty, and I brought reinforcements!"

Villains left and right began to either attack or head in their direction. They were stopped in their tracks as each of the teachers took them out effortlessly. Numerous explosions came from their direction.

More gunshots came our way as each one hit one of the Hands' limbs, causing him to fall to the ground. Kurogiri wrapped himself around, shielding the wounded Villain. A vacuum was being used, bringing them closer to the teacher's that just arrived. No doubt it was Thirteen's Black Hole at work. it was useless as he collapsed in on himself, making them both disappear from sight.

* * *

After all of us were accounted for and safe, along with the Villains apprehended, we were brought outside the USJ. Thirteen and Aizawa had been put in ambulances due to their injuries. It was a shock hearing what happened to my uncle and how he'd been injured.

Even that wasn't the only thing that had shocked me. Deep down I was still in amazement at what level the pros were at. Sure I received training from one, but once again I was still just entering the world of being a Hero. I was leaning the bus, kind of wallowing in my thoughts with all that happened. Kirishima said Izuku was okay, so that was a bit of a relief. Hana had been given at the scene treatment by Recovery Girl, though her leg wasn't at the point she could fully run and make use of her agility yet.

"Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two. Everyone seems to be unharmed except for that boy whose legs got all messed up." The detective said to us.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as I hung my head low. From the pair of purple shoes, I could tell it was Hana. I looked up to see a worried look on her face. "Mason are you-"

"Y-yeah," I said before she could say anything else. "I'm fine. Just..."

"Hey." She looked at me with confidence in her green eyes. "He'll be okay. He ain't a Pro for nothing."

"Let's go ahead and get these students back to the main campus! They've been through a lot, and we don't need to question them right away."

"Detective, what about Mr. Aizawa?" Tsuyu asked, vocalizing my own worry.

We were pretty much all worried. From what I saw and heard, he had gotten pretty beat up trying to protect Mineta, Tsuyu, and Izuku from the Hands guy. Apparently, it had been some type of disintegration Quirk, along with Nomu giving him quite a beating too. I waited as the phone connected with the Doctor.

"The bones in his arms are splintered and he's got facial fracturing. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any brain damage. But, his orbital floor has almost been completely destroyed. There's no way to know if his eyesight will be impaired once he's healed up."

I tightened my fist and tried to not let my anger show. I was glad the mask I had on was able to cover the look on my face. Eyes were one thing, controlling how my face reacted was a whole other thing.

"Well, you heard the man."

Tsuyu made a worried "Ribbit", while Mineta seemed just as worried with tears welling in his eyes.

"Um sir, what about Thirteen?" Ashido asked him.

"There's no need to worry there. Despite some pretty bad lacerations to the back, Thirteen is gonna pull through good as new." He said. This seemed to calm some of the girls down. "And All Might is also without any serious injuries. He's in the Nurse's office right now. Recovery Girl's powers should be all the treatment he needs."

"What about Deku?"

"How's Midoriya?" Iida and Uraraka both asked.

"Midori- Ah." He said as he realized who they were talking about. "Recovery Girl is taking care of him too, he's fine. Now, let's get you all back to class."

We all headed onto the bus. With how I was feeling I headed to the back where the seats were a bit more comfortable, and it'd be easy to stay hidden. I was the type of person to try and stay out of sight when emotions got the better of me. I didn't like people seeing me when I was down like this.

It then hit me my mom would probably hear about this, my dad as well. No doubt they'd both be worried about me, along with a number of missed phone calls on my own phone. Sure Mr. Aizawa wasn't actual blood-related family, but he was family none the less.

I took off my mask and looked outside the window. The faint reflection of tan-skinned, blonde-haired teenage boy staring right back at me. I only happened to Ashido making her way over looking around until she saw me looking out the window with that saddened expression on my face. She sat in the seat beside me, a faint smile on her face.

"Hey now, what's with that glum look?" She said as she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Nothing, it's just how my face settles sometimes," I replied.

"No, usually when your face settles you're happier. That and your dimples aren't so relaxed."

I spun around. "Wait, they do?"

"No, that was just to get you off guard so you'd talk to me." She chuckled a bit to herself before looking at me. "Still, what's the problem? Is it about Hana? She said her leg was feeling a bit better and that you made a good-"

"No... It's not that." I looked down with my hands on my knees. How was I supposed to tell her? Hana had been able to figure out Aizawa was a relative of sorts to me, and that was just because we acted the same way. I didn't want to be treated differently just because one of our teachers happened to be related to me. To be honest it was the isolation I feared.

"Hey," She put her hand on mine, surprising me. "We all get scared sometimes. A friend of mine's idol once said that 'what kind of man doesn't feel fear?'. He was a bit like you are right now. Don't be looking down all the time, if you do, then how are you supposed to look up and see what there is in life to enjoy?"

Looking up I could see Ashido was sincere. She sounded confident, but her whole face was filled with worry. "Fine," I said in mock defeat, "You win." I relaxed against the bus seat and sighed. "I'm just worried about Mr. Aizawa. You see, he's a bit of a special person to me."

"You don't mean- Him and you are-"

Panic took over as I put my hands up in defense. "No. No, no, no, and triple no. It is not like that! He's my godfather for crying out loud!"

It was then I realized the whole class had been listening in. I looked over to see some of them with their mouths open wide enough for a fly to fly in. One of the more shocked ones being Momo and Iida. The sound my hand made hitting my forehead summed up my embarrassment.

"I don't know which is worse. You guys listening in, or the fact I just said that aloud..."

"MR. AIZAWA IS YOUR GODFATHER?!" I heard a few of them say.

"Well, they do kinda have a knack for falling asleep..."

"Not to mention he looked a bit worried when they went to the hospital with him and Thirteen..."

"No one else noticed?" Tsuyu said, once again getting a rise from them. "I mean their hair is both kinda scraggly as well. I thought everyone else knew as soon as they happened to both fall asleep in class."

"This is gonna take some time to explain..." I said as I groaned.

* * *

I wasn't sure when, but somewhere along the way after explaining everything to everyone, I fell asleep on the bus. A massive weight was on my head, a certain someone's furry vest collar tickling my neck. My body froze up as I felt someone's breath against my cheek. I steadily looked up to see that my head was on Ashido's shoulder and her head against mine.

With my limited movement, I could see in the seats next to us were Denki and Sero, both smiling.

"Hey buddy, seems you finally woke up!" The tape user said. "Comfortable?"

"How did this happen?" I asked in a panicked voice.

Denki gave me a thumbs up. "Don't know, don't care. All I know is you're doing fine, and I only care you're good at it."

"Shut it bug-zapper!" I heard Jiro's voice. "To be fair I think you shouldn't have done that to him. Still, this way they kinda look like a couple. Wait, are you?" She finished. I knew that type of tone all too well.

"We aren't! Just friends! I'd appreciate to hold that title and not see what happens when Ashido wakes up! So please, help me." I asked desperately.

"Wouldn't a guy kill for what you have though? I mean so long as you keep yourself in check, nothing bad will happen, right?"

I sighed. "You have a point. Think I got a creak in my neck though. And- Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

I tried to listen. Was Ashido talking in her sleep? Once again she mumbled something. I tried my best to listen in on what she was saying as we then hit a bump in the road. Apparently, it had been enough to wake her up.

First, she yawned and then turned her head to see my panicked expression. I nervously brought my hand and waved, trying to ignore Sero and Denki's stifled laughter. From the way Ashido was looking at me, my chances of living were next to none. I mentally prepared myself for the beating, only for her to smile.

"Good to see your awake Mason!" She said cheerfully. "Sorry if I fell asleep on you. You were looking out the window, fell asleep, and then your head sorta fell on my shoulder." A tint of red began to fill her face. "Next thing I knew... I... Fell asleep as well." She took her hands and put them over her own face.

She was embarrassed?! If anyone was I was!

"Your skin was so warm and your hair was soft- Next thing I knew I was out!"

My face was just as red. I looked to see Jiro, Denki, and Sero all looking at the situation unfold with a mixture of faces. Jiro seemed shocked it had gone so well, while Denki and Sero gave each other thumbs up at how well it had gone.

It seemed me and Ashido were in the same position more or less. I scratched the back of my neck and looked away. "Was my hair really that soft?"

"Y-yeah. It surprised me."

"We're here at U.A. students!" The bus driver said. All of us got off the bus and headed to walk in.

From how the sun was beginning to set and the golden glow it emitted, I must've slept for quite a while. I couldn't blame myself though, I had been fighting multiple Villains, and protecting the class. I even hit my limit for the first time in a while.

* * *

We all made our way to the classroom silently. Hana caught up to me and Ashido and began to walk with us. I had put my face mask in my pocket seeing we weren't in class anymore. All that accompanied us was our own footsteps as we made our way up. The constant pitter patter finally drove me insane.

"Someone talk already!" I shouted as we walked down the hallway. "Seriously I know a few of you were talking on the bus and stuff, but why are you being so silent as soon as we got here? I mean look at us!" I brought my arms out wide as I walked backward. "We just fought _Villains_ and we're just gonna be silent like this? We did great!"

Momo held her right arm with her left. "Not so much me and Jiro. If not for the teachers, Denki might've-"

"Abubup! None of that! That isn't how a Hero talks now, is it? No doubt you guys would've thought of something. I mean come on, you're the smartest of us all when you boil it down!" I once again shouted.

Hana smiled and hurried up beside me. "He's got a point. Once this stone-head sets his mind to something, he isn't going to stop until you feel better about yourself."

"When you say it like that you make me sound like a bad guy..."

"Yeah! Mason's right!" Kirishima said raising his fist into the air. "Sure some of us might've got our butts kicked, or needed rescuing, but that doesn't mean we can't be prepared for next time. We got to see how the Pros do it, right?"

"He's got a point," Sero added. "I mean he rushed in to help All Might without a second thought! That and some of us helped Iida as well."

"Exactly. Sure I might not have handled some situations as well as I should have, or any of us. The Pros were amazing and showed what it means to be a Hero and how we were kinda naive going into this whole thing. All it just means I have to work harder, we all do. We wanna be Heroes, right? So let's show them what we got!"

"He's right!" Iida said, moving his hands around. "We're only just in training. We'll probably meet more challenges along the way, ones that will dwarf even this. But that doesn't mean we have to let it stop us. So let us all continue on and face them with our might." He said to the whole class. We each had a determined look in our eyes.

This wasn't going to stop us. They might have taken us by surprise, but they made a grave mistake. Picking a fight with our class. We were going to learn from today. It had been the first time any of us had truly fought Villains. We were only going to become stronger from this day onward and have even more drive to become Heroes. We were going to have the courage to move onward.

Once I had gathered all my stuff and began my way home, I smiled. As I saw the sunset shining down the hill. After all, we were only just getting started with our first year. At the time I thought nothing was going to stop us.

Until that _one_ day when it changed. There was a still a couple weeks before the event that was going to change my scope on my motives of being a hero. The soon the day that was about to come would be even bigger than ever imagined.

* * *

 **A/N: Did I do it? Did I finally get it done before things were going to get a bit too out of hand with my enthusiasm? Well if you're reading this after it has been uploaded on July twenty-first, at five-thirty pm EST, then yes. I got it done! As of right now, I'm listening to the ED of season one, and it feels actually quite fitting. Now onto season two people! Time for even more plot to start turning! This is only the beginning!**

 **pokemonking0924: Mason is pretty adept at using his Quirk. If I had to say he's at about an in between with Bakugo's versatility, and Todoroki's power. He wasn't kidding when he wanted to become a Hero, even if it meant beating his arch enemy, projectile motion!**

 **"Crap! I'm late I'm gonna be late!"**

 **"So why'd you ask me out on this 'date' Mason Ishi?"**

 **"When do you plan to tell her about, you know, the thing?"**

 **I think next chapter will be a nice start to Season 2...**


	13. Chapter 13: Season 2

"You know you two didn't have to show up. I'm doing just fine." Aizawa said with his muffled voice through the bandaging.

"Oh hush you stubborn caterpillar! You know you're happy we're visiting you. Ever since me and Jishin had Mason, you decided to only focus on help raising the boy." My mom retorted. "So much we're the only two people here to visit you!"

"As a Hero, it's only rational to not have people close to you. Otherwise, if a Villain bears a grudge he could use them against you. And that's a risk I'd rather not take in life. You and Jin are some of the only friends I have," He sighed. "And you're not the only ones. You just missed two of Mason's classmates. Along with that Midoriya kid. You kids did good, I'll give you that. A little bit irrational rushing in to help All Might, but I guess that's just the difference between me and Jishin."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or you chastising me," I said confused, though it was probably the latter.

"It doesn't matter. You experienced something that's going to stick with you. But don't think for a second that's all there is to it kid."

"I know Uncle Shota. I'm far from being a Pro. When All Might was fighting that Nomu guy we all saw the difference in how you guys are. Along with Snipe, Ectoplasm, and Present Mic. You guys must've been something when you were my age, huh?"

He stayed silent for a second. "I guess we were. Back then we had to do our best with how the crime rate was. You kids have it easy with the Symbol of Peace, but you show promise." He looked at me the best he could, his eyes red and strained. "Go beyond, Plus Ultra kid."

I nodded. "Got it. I'm just glad you're all right. Also... How to put this... Everyone knows you're my godfather and uncle of sorts. Sorry."

"WHAT!?" He shouted surprisingly loud.

"Now now, Shota, keep your heartbeat down. We don't need the doctor's coming in thinking you're going into arrest." My mom said trying to calm him down, her hands up nervously.

"That doesn't matter! Have you no rationality kid? Now that they know you're my god kid, it'll be nothing but questions!"

"You were never asked any in the first place." Me and my mom said in tandem.

"I'm known for being the teacher everyone fears. For the past few years I've expelled at least one student I found who couldn't cut it, that or I pushed them beyond their limits so they could." He looked at me with murderous eyes. "I'm gonna get you for this punk! You're going to see a rational deception like never before!"

A little-known fact about Shota Aizawa. As a young hero in training, he was focused only on bringing down the crime rate and being a "true hero" as he called it. In this time he decided to build a sort of look for himself that seemed rather cold on the outside.

The truth of it though was he really did care about people. It's just he would rather keep those he loved at a distance for their safety. That and once that said "image" was broken he would sometimes entirely break out of his usual laid back, cold personality. Deep down his rational deceptions were actually a way to show his more joking and warm side. He was a pretty good godfather as well.

"Bring it on! You may have gotten me with the whole Apprehension test, but I'll be ready for this time. Give me your worst."

He seemed to be smiling through the bandages on his face. "I won't have to. You got the Sport's Festival to worry about after all."

"Oh yeah, I've been hearing about that from some of the guys in Class. What is it exactly?"

He sighed and let his head drop. "You really astound me, kid. To explain it's gonna be like any Sport's Festival, except you'll be using your Quirks and showing your skills as well. Lots of agencies and other Heroes will be there too. All I can tell you is do your best."

"I see... I'm guessing this is one of those 'can't say anything' things that go with some schools?" I asked him.

"No, it's just that the events are only decided on the day of the event. You still got a month or so until then anyway. Also, I don't mean to pry, but isn't today Sunday? I didn't think you'd be here today since you had that date with the Ashido girl."

As soon as he said that I looked at the clock on my phone and realized what time it was. If he hadn't said anything sooner, I might've forgotten about the whole thing! I stood quickly and rushed to get all my stuff in check.

"Crap I'm late! I'm gonna be late!" I said as I made my way out of the room before saying "And IT IS NOT A DATE!"

* * *

Despite my gripes with how I preferred to dress when in public, I did at least try to have a bit of nice clothing on. By nice, I meant how I pretty much designed my costume. Nothing but a sleeveless muscle shirt, and some jeans. The difference being I liked wearing sandals when out in public. I had the boots made simply because it'd be more practical than some kind of open-toed shoe.

I sat down on the train and looked at my phone. I had sent a message to Ashido telling her I was on the train and would meet her at the station. Being around this many people with my deeply tanned skin, I stood out like a sore thumb.

I didn't care much about it though. Today was going to be a good one. It'd be me, Ashido, and just a couple hours of getting some time to know each other. To be honest I had no clue why I asked her out.

Well to fair "asked her out" wasn't how I'd describe it. I just wanted... To... Well, get to know her better I guess. She was the first person I officially met at the entrance exam after all. That and she got along with everyone and had a nice personality. Just like my dad and Aizawa, we just clicked.

Plus it seemed we could do with some time to relax after everything that happened with the Villain "invasion" as people came to call it. All the thugs had been arrested along, with that Nomu thing. Hands and Kurogiri had gotten away though, and no one had been able to find anything. I had also proposed to make a chat room of sorts for the class, so we could all stay in touch. The only ones who had been against it were Bakugo with his usual "you're beneath me" routine. Izuku only because he'd never been part of something like it before, but he came around to it.

The train then stopped, bringing me out of my thoughts. That was a habit I'd have to keep an eye on quite a bit. We had decided to go to Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall since it was the only place I knew that'd be good to have our...

Well...

It was pretty much a date I realized as I looked at the stairs for Ashido. My phone then went off. I took it out of my pocket and saw it was a message from Ashido.

"Behind you!" I heard her say as I read the text message that said the exact same thing.

She stood there smiling, her hands behind her back. She was wearing a loose light-blue shirt and tan shorts. Her face was incredibly close to mine, making me turn my face to look away.

"You like... nice..." I said, trying to not show the red creeping up my face.

"T-thanks. You do too. Though you like similar to how your suit does." She backed away from my face, standing straight up. Was she blushing or was that just her skin?

"I designed it for practicality, and also comfort in mind," I said looking at her directly. "So... What is it teenagers like us do at a mall? I've never really gone outside, or done anything like this, to be honest."

"Seriously? With how nice you are no one's ever invited you to hang out or anything? Well," She unexpectedly grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "We're gonna change that! Mason Ishi prepare to have a good time!"

* * *

She had definitely been right when she said that. Because of my circumstances, I'd never really gotten to go out in public or have any friends to hang out with. Most of the time when kids my age were doing that stuff, I'd either be reading a book, training or just stuck at home because nobody wanted to have anything to do with me.

Ashido had personally made it her mission to show me around and "catch up on what I had been missing out on" as she put it. It was fun going around the whole mall and checking out the different stores with her. She was just one of those people you couldn't help but laugh and smile with when you were with them.

During that time we had even checked out a movie that had been playing. I couldn't remember much about it, all I knew is it that was a romance that seemed to really hit Ashido hard. I handed her tissues as she cried. Yet as I did I could feel someone watching us as we were watching the movie. I wouldn't doubt it though, no doubt it was either someone from our class or in the most extreme case my mom.

After the movie finished we decided to finally get some lunch. It was unbelievable how loud my stomach could be sometimes, then again it was the only way for me to keep track of when I needed to eat when I was doing my usual exercise routine.

I unwrapped my burger enough so I could at least take a few meaningful bites out of it. Ashido had gotten a salad with some chicken in it.

"So Mr. Aizawa will be returning to class soon? That's good to hear. I was worried since he's your uncle and all. It's a good thing he pulled out okay."

"Yeah," I said agreeing. "He's still not as recovered as he wants to be though. He still needs to keep a lot of bandaging on. That and according to him he still needs some time for his arms to fully heal before he can use them properly. The bones were splintered after all."

"He and Thirteen really did take some risk to save us, huh? I don't know what would've happened if All Might hadn't come." She looked down with a smile on her face. "I haven't felt that scared since my last year of middle school."

"Well everyone feels fear now and again. Though I'm not sure if fear was how I'd describe how I felt. It was more... Anxious I wanna say?"

"Despite how you felt though you raced in and helped All Might. A lot of you guys were down there. You, Kirishima, Midoriya, Todoroki, Bakugo... You guys really were dead set weren't you?"

I smiled. "Well, in hindsight it seemed like a good plan. Plus if not for us, it might not have gone so smoothly. That Nomu guy had him in a pinch."

"I'm just glad we made it out alive and only a few of us got hurt. I was glad when I saw you and Hana land out of nowhere too." I took a sip of my drink as she then said another thing. "I was worried when you went down there too."

I had to try with all my might to not spit out my drink. "You were?" I said surprised.

"Of course I was! What kind of person isn't worried about their friends in a situation like that? We're still just kids." She looked down, avoiding my eyes. "We're still just kids, but with how you went out of your way to help All Might and helped Hana with her leg, you kinda made me realize why I wanted to go to U.A. in the first place." She looked up at me with a smile on her face. "So why'd you ask me out on this 'date' Mason Ishi?"

I began to sweat bullets. "W-well I-I... You see... Uh... To be honest I don't even know why myself. I just wanted to get to know you better a-and stuff."

Ashido covered her mouth as she let out a small laugh. "That's a new one. I've had guys ask me out before on lunch dates, but usually, my friends would come with me. Kinda took a bit of convincing to not have some of the girls stalk us."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Well, compared to some guys you're not like them." She leaned on her hand and looked at me with her yellow and black eyes. "I mean a girl like me who gets along with everyone, I know some can find that attractive. But I guess I felt it'd be okay to just go out like this because you don't seem like that. You just wanted to get to know me right? I guess people like you, Kirishima, and Midoriya are hard to come by with how nice you guys can be."

I nodded as I took another sip. "Yeah. I mean sure we text each other and see the other at school, but we've never really gotten to know one another. This was kinda the only way I could think up. Though I think I won't be relying on a magazine again..." I nervously chuckled to myself.

"You got this idea from a magazine?" She said, red flooding into her cheeks. "You really didn't get out much, huh? Who wouldn't want to be friends with someone like you? You're nice, know how to treat a girl and..."

 _People who actually know I'm the son of a "Villain"._ I thought to myself as she talked about how much of a good person she'd seen me be.

"I was just one of those kids. I never really found a need to socialize. You were kinda the first person to go out of their way to get to know me. So I thought I should pay you back for that by doing this and trying to make an effort to hang out with you. You're one of the first people to go out of their way to try and get to know me." I admitted.

"Then there's only one thing to do!" She punched her left fist in her hand and then pointed at me. "From now on I'm making it my mission to help you experience that stuff. No more being anti-social and alone, from now on I'm gonna help you experience the stuff you've been missing. Let's finish up lunch because we still got lot's more to do!" She said in her cheery manner.

It kinda stunned me, hearing and seeing her say that. Nothing I said had been much of a lie. She was the first person to actively go out of their way to know me. Hana I had met bumping into her and having a slight breakfast with. There had been only one other person who did that for me, but I hadn't really seen them in a long time. Her Quirk hadn't been cut out for the Hero course, yet she and my mom were the only ones who backed my decision to go to U.A.

Deep down as Ashido rushed me around the mall, I wondered.

Would she still treat me this way when I finally told her everything? About me, my dad, all of it?

* * *

My body hit my bed with a loud thud onto my bed. Today had exhausted me in mind, body, and spirit. We had spent a good bit of time into the evening at the mall. I even ended up with some new clothes and a sly remark from my mom about the 'date'.

I hadn't even cared she called it that. Hanging out with Ashido and having fun with her kinda put me up on cloud nine. The old me never would've thought of being able to do stuff like this. That Mason would've just gone through the days only making his way out to get to the top and make a name for himself.

He wouldn't have gone out with friends to the mall, not to mention a girl!

I was kinda giddy as I sat up on my bed. Ashido had very infective cheerfulness to her. I hadn't felt this happy since the day I got into U.A. It felt like fun. Something I hadn't enjoyed since I was a little kid and went to eat out with my parents and Aizawa, or train with my Quirk. I guess being with her kinda reminded me that there was still that bit of me that knew what joy was.

The picture on the wall held that same memory. All of us rejoicing at me heading into middle school. Next to it was another picture, though not really one. It was a letter my dad said to only open once I reached my goal in life.

 _"Listen, kid, no matter what you hear. No matter what they say about me or you, remember. You're you, and I'm me. My mistakes the other night, don't have anything to do with you. Just like me, be your own person and do it as any man of the Ishi name would. Prove all of them wrong and show that you're not just my son, you're your own person as well! Rock their world and show them how wrong they are!"_

Those had been words I came to live by. My goal was to become a Hero and show the world that just because my father was a Villain, didn't mean that I was too. I had to show them that I was gonna be me.

And it seemed the Sport's Festival was going to be just the thing for that.

My phone vibrated. I took it out to see Hana had messaged me.

"Ashido just told me about your 'not-a-date-just-hanging-out session' today." I laughed at how she had phrased. I imagined a flustered Ashido trying to explain how it wasn't a date like I did. "I know this a touchy thing, but... When do you plan to tell her about, you know, the thing?"

I let out a deep sight before typing, sending the message and turning it off before heading downstairs for some training. The backyard had the targets up, and I wasted no time creating the stone knives and making them float in the air, using my hands to shoot them out.

 _I'll tell her._

 _Once I'm strong enough._

* * *

 **A/N: Phew, that was some nice little Mason X Ashido stuff right there. I like my progressive romances! You can't just do that first sight stuff, you have to make it have some solid leading up to that perfect moment. Mind you that's already all written out and being kept away for when said thing comes. *Cough* Training *cough* Vanguard *cough* Camp *cough cough*. Wow, no clue where that little coughing fit came from. Well, onto the reviews!**

 **pokemonking0924: Sadly no papa reaction for the Invasion, but no doubt he was thinking about breaking out of prison to rush over there. Also as I said, Ashido is gonna be getting some more spotlight! Best girl needs it! Aizawa being revealed as his godfather/uncle is also a bit critical for Mason's story, just like Hana's future problems as well... Oh, shouldn't have said that :)**

 **Shadowwolf1997: Dang it, you're right! Mineta would've been perfect! I missed out on that comedy GOOOLD!**

 **Now for the sneak peek! Plus Ultraaaa!**

 **"You call that okay?"**

 **"The U.A. Sports Festival is about to begin."**

 **"Looks like things are gonna be moving faster than I thought."**


	14. Chapter 14

In a way, it was refreshing to come back to school after the incident at the USJ. The night before the news had provided coverage on it, and we had gotten a bit of screen time as well for a couple seconds. Some might have liked that sort of exposure, but not me so much.

Part of my dad being in jail meant I had a target on my back. After all, my Quirk had some aspects similar to his, and I _was_ his son. I was just glad that no one had gone as far as to try and say I had a hand in the whole thing. I've said it many times, but the majority of people see the kids of Villains as no more than just a carbon copy of their parents when you got down to it.

Glady it had never gotten to that level of disdain where parents were involved, only the kids at my middle school seemed to milk it for everything it was worth. Walking through the door and over to my seat I reminded myself, this was simply one step on the grand latter that was my plan to show that I was me.

I stretched out my arms behind my hand and put them on my desk, resting my head on them for a cushion. There was a good bit of time before classes started.

Some sleep wouldn't hurt I guess I thought to myself as I closed my eyes after looking at the clock.

"You guys! Did you watch the news last night?" I heard the invisible girl say. She seemed rather excited about it. I decided to not pay attention to the conversation. After all, I was just trying to get a bit of sleep before the day started.

Despite trying my best I couldn't stop from hearing some of the conversations going on. Jiro throwing reality at Denki and Kirishima, Sero bringing up the "what ifs" if the Pros hadn't shown up, and Mineta's worrying and yelling from him even bringing up the incident.

One of the things I loved about being in this half-asleep state, was getting to hear everyone generally socialize with one another. I did feel the urge to talk with some of them, but I decided against it. Unless someone wanted to talk with me, I preferred to not go out of my way and force them into socializing. It was just one of those things that became a part of me after everyone cut ties with me in middle school.

I then felt the rush of feet against the floor and looked up with one eye to see Iida rushing in and to the front of the room. "Attention! Homeroom class is about to begin! Everyone please stop talking and take your seats!"

Irony must have had it out for him, as we were already in our seats, while he was standing up there all alone.

"Uh, we're already in our seats."

"Yeah, you're the only one standing."

Iida went over to his seat, seeming angry at how contradictory his statement was. As I said, irony must've had it out for him. Uraraka reassured him that it wasn't anything major in her usual laid back tone.

"So hey Tsu, soo... Ah!" I heard Ashido ask Tsuyu. I could see her lean back in her chair and almost fall. Tsuyu seemed to notice and help steady it out though. "Who do you think is gonna teach class today?"

"No idea. Mr. Aizawa is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Has anything changed Mason?"

As I looked up drowsily to answer the door slid open, and the person standing there shocked me so much I woke up. "Mr. Aizawa what are you doing here!?" Everyone pretty much asked. He still had the same amount of bandages on as the last time I met him.

"Mr. Aizawa, I'm glad you're okay!" Iida said cheerfully.

"You call that... Okay?" Uraraka said worriedly. I was as well, but then again he was a Pro, he probably had injuries like this before.

"My well being is irrelevant. What's more important is your fight that isn't over yet."

By this time I was as awake as a deer caught in headlights.

"Fight?" I asked. Everyone else seemed just as worried, or was like Mineta and assumed it had to do with Villains.

He then gave us all a serious look through the gap of bandaging that let his eyes pierce through. "The U.A. Sports Festival is about to start."

At this news the majority of us were excited. I was thrown off by the turn of events. From what he told the other day, it wasn't supposed to be for another month or so. Why did the school decide to all of a sudden move it closer? We just had that incident at the USJ.

"Let's go kick some ass!" Kirishima shouted. His enthusiasm was stopped by Denki who put his hand over his mouth.

"Wait a second." He said, ready to ask something before Jiro cut him off.

"Is it really such a good idea to hold the Sports Festival so soon after the Villains snuck inside?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah," Ojiro agreed. "They can attack us while we're all in the same place."

"Apparently, the administration thinks this is a good way to show... The threat has been handled and our school is safer than ever." Aizawa explained. "Plus they're beefing up security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students at U.A. It's not something we can cancel because of a few Villains."

"Uh I'm sorry but why not? It's just the Sport's Festival." Mineta said. Izuku looked at him confused.

"Mineta, don't you know how important this competition is?" He asked him.

"Of course I do, I just don't wanna get murdered."

"Our Sport's Festival is one of the most watched events in the entire world." Aizawa continued. "In the past, people were obsessed with the Olympic Games, but then Quirks started appearing. Now the Olympics have been drastically reduced in terms of scale and viewership. For anyone who cares about competition, there's only one tournament that matters. The U.A. Sports Festival."

"That's right." Yaoyorozu agreed, making a fist with determination in her eyes. "And Top Heroes will be watching. This is where you get scouted."

"She's right! After graduating A lot of people join Agencies as a sidekick." Denki said with a thumbs up.

"Yeah, but that's as far as some people go. They miss their chance to Indi and stay eternal sidekicks." Jiro pointed out. "Actually that's where you're headed, you're kinda dumb."

I felt bad at this moment for Jiro's treatment of Denki. He was more than likely the end of any joke she had.

"It's true joining an agency can garner you greater experience and popularity, that's why the Festival matters. If you wanna go Pro one day, then this event can open a path for you. One chance a year, three chances in a lifetime, no aspiring hero can afford to miss this Festival. That means you better not slack off on your training." He then looked at me. "Especially you Mason for letting it slip I'm your Godfather. Be ready."

"It's true!?" Some of the class shouted.

"I doubted it at first but hearing it from Mr. Aizawa's himself still surprises me." Tsuyu said before looking at me. "Though I feel bad for the training you're gonna have to go through."

"It won't be that bad," I reassured. "If not for him I wouldn't have a good grasp on my Quirk like I do now. I say bring it, old man!"

If not for the bandaging I'm sure I would've seen his well-known smile form. "You heard him! You all better do your best hear me?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Very well then, Class is dismissed." He said.

* * *

After lunch, the whole class was filled with talk about the Festival. It was like someone decided to turn the levels of excitement and pumped up to eleven. Don't get me wrong, I was excited as I possibly could be. This was one of many chances I would have for being a Hero.

If being a Hero meant I could finally be my own person and prove everyone wrong, then I'd take this step. That and I'd finally get to see some of the other student's Quirks in action. From what I knew the activities weren't announced until the day of. This meant those who liked to plan ahead of time would have to be ready for whatever came their way.

I liked that kind of challenge with having to think on your feet.

"That Villains stuff sucks sure. And I know I've already said it... BUT I'M PUMPED FOR THESE GAMES!" Kirishima shouted once again loudly. He was pretty much the physical embodiment of how everyone felt right now.

I and Hana both got up, getting ready to head with Tsuyu and Ashido to the cafeteria for lunch. "How about you Hana, you excited for the Festival?" Ashido asked her.

"K-kinda. To be honest I'm a l-little nervous." She admitted with her usual shyness. No doubt that was going to be thrown away as soon as the day of the Festival arrived.

"You don't have to be! You're a tough girl like the rest of us, especially with that sword of yours! I remember the fight you and Mason had, and you guys weren't cutting any corners. No pun intended."

"Speaking of Mason what are your thoughts on the Festival? I'm sure you'll be in the sight of quite a few Pros." Tsuyu asked me.

"Well," I thought about it and shrugged. "I am excited, but I don't wanna be too excited. No doubt my mom is gonna pull out all the stops for my training along with Aizawa."

"You know this kinda just popped into my head, but you've never really mentioned your dad have you, Mason?" Ashido stated. I tensed up a little bit, as did Hana. "I mean we have met your mom before, but not your dad, right? I guess he's where you get your Japanese from?"

"Yeah, I do. My mom's Native American, and he's majorly Japanese. Though if he were to come I think he'd be a bit-"

"Wow Iida, those are some interesting moves, ribbit." Tsuyu said.

Curiosity got the best of me, making me look to see he was... Moving his hips a bit... I don't want to describe it but it wasn't subtle in the least. He and Izuku seemed to have been having their own conversation about the Festival as well.

"You have to be excited too, right Midoriya?" He asked moving his hands as he spoke.

"Well yeah of course I am. And a little bit nervous." Izuku said.

"See! I'm not the only one!" Hana exclaimed.

"Deku, Iida." I almost dropped my bag from how serious Uraraka looked as she looked at us. The aura she was giving off was all too familiar. Just like my dad whenever it came to sports or fishing. "Let's do our best in the Sports Festival." She was practically glaring at everyone.

"Uraraka what happened to your face?!" Izuku said.

"That's pretty much how my dad would get if he was able to come," I remarked.

"Seriously what's up? You're like the most laid back girl ever." Ashido said.

She then put her fist into her the air and continued her all too pumped attitude. "Everyone, I'm gonna do my best!" She shouted even more fiercely.

"Yeah!" We said agreeing with her. I was used to this kind of excitement from my dad, but it had been some time since I'd seen something similar.

She then turned over to Kirishima and the other students, continuing her chant of "I'm gonna do my best!"

* * *

They moved it up?!" My mom shouted over the phone.

"Yeah. According to Uncle Shota, the administration thinks it's a way to show the USJ incident didn't faze us in the bit. Seems thing are moving a lot faster than I thought." I answered while recovering from her shouting directly into my ear. I had gone to the bathroom to get some time alone so I could talk to my mom. Other than Aizawa, she was the only other person who could help me train at the moment when it personally came to my Quirk.

I had gone to the bathroom to get some time alone so I could talk to my mom. Other than Aizawa, she was the only other person who could help me train at the moment. With how things went, that meant my mom had to get some early shopping done as well.

"You still want me to get the weights you wanted? Should I switch to that diet thing as well you used when you got ready for the entrance exams?"

"That'd be great if you could mom, yes. If it's too much though don't worry. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time during school to do some training as well. I think more than a couple of my classmates could help me too."

"Like Hana and Ashido?" She said. I didn't need to see her face to know she had that knowing mom look on her face.

"They're... Kinda part of it, I won't lie. Mostly combat training. Thanks for being able to get that stuff for me though. Just wish dad were able to see me in action." I admitted, trying to not let the sadness in my voice show.

"I'm sure he'll be watching from whatever recreational room they have. Let's just hope he doesn't make on his promise though about 'if worst comes to worst, I'll just break out'. I swear you two can both be so stubborn sometimes. Well sorry but my break's over now. See you when I get home okay?"

"Sure thing mom," I said before hitting the end call button. Once I exited the bathroom Hana was waiting for me against the wall, blush apparent on her face. "You heard all of that didn't you Hana?"

She looked down. "I won't s-say I didn't..." She admitted.

Sighing, I smiled at her and ruffled her hair up a little bit, but not too much. At that gesture, she looked at me angrily. "What's that for?"

"Keeping the fact my dad is in jail a secret I guess? I could've said something else, but I don't like to flirt with people I've gotten to know." I said to her as I made my way back to the cafeteria.

"Sorry if I'm prying Mason, but is your dad mad that you're w-well... Trying to become a-a Hero?"

"No! Not one bit, it's the opposite actually. My dad knows what he did was wrong, and that he needs to pay the time for it. Our situation was a bit difficult with my mom being sick, and there was no other way for him to get money. He said for me to be my own person and that his mistakes weren't mine." I explained to her.

"Seems we both got dad troubles..." She muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing!" She said putting her hands up in defense. "Just... Please forget you heard that. But if you need help with training, I'm always willing to help. I just wanted to let you know..."

"Well then," I put my hand on her shoulder as we walked back down to the cafeteria. "Seems you've given me an offer I can't refuse!"

"When you say it like that it sounds dirty!" She whined embarrassedly.

* * *

 **A/N: Ah some nice little feels for the time being and some more info on Hana's own troubles as well. Both characters who are results of the sins of the fathers. Personally, I love how supportive Hana can be to Mason with how he's only ever had one other friend who accepted him as him. Her and Ashido are truly people Mason needed in his life. Now enough of the sappy stuff! Time for some of the reviews you guys did on the last chapter! Dang onion cutting ninjas...**

 **Loser( the actual name that was put by the person): Let the shipping begin! So many ships to see! As for the ship name, and this to all of you, get creative. I'm curious what you guys will come up with. That and Hana's gonna need someone as well, but I feel the Sports Festival is also gonna bring some new competitors as well...**

 **pokemonking0924: There are many things I have planned for the little outings that'll happen throughout. And speaking of the Sport's Festival, it's going to be quite fun for me to write, and the tournament even more so!**

 **To the preview!**

 **"I'm here to let you know that if you don't bring your very best I'll steal your spot right from under you."**

 **"I'll think about it."**

 **"I'm just having... A rocky start."**

 **Mmmmm I love my puns.**


	15. Chapter 15

Everyone in Class had prepared to leave for the day until Izuku, Iida, and Uraraka opened the door and stopped as they were trying to make their way to leave. I walked over to see the reason why everyone had stopped.

My eyes widened in shock at the number of students waiting outside the doorway. They had to be all the other students from the other courses and the other Hero class. The only other time I had seen some of these people was the incident when the media got through the security gate. Were they just trying to get a look at us? Or was it something else?

"Why the heck are you all here?!" Uraraka shouted.

Iida held up his hand in their direction. "Do you have some sort of business with our class?"

"Why are you blocking the doorway? I won't let you hold us hostage!" Mineta shouted in protest.

"To be realistic any of us could move them out of the way with a little push." I offered. Bakugo then made his way past me, with his usual angered face. Though this one seemed more focused.

"They're scouting out the competition idiots. We're the class that survived a real Villain attack. They wanna see us with their own eyes." He explained as he stopped in front of the doorway in front of the horde of students. "Now move it extras."

Izuku, Uraraka, and I stood surprised that he would go calling them that. These guys were going to be competing in the Festival as well after all. There was no reason he had to give them extra reasons to go after us!

Meanwhile, Iida was moving his hands furiously at Bakugo's direction. "You can't go calling people extras just because you don't know who they are!"

"So this is class 1-A. I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass." Said a blue-haired boy who was making his way through the crowd to the doorway. "Is everyone in the Hero course delusional or just you?" I put my hand against the wall for safe measure. Knowing Bakugo's temper this could go one way or another. Didn't help he was already showing signs of blowing his top. Blue hair took his hand and scratched behind his neck and looked down. "How disappointing to find a bunch of ego-maniacs." He then looked up with tired eyes similar to Uncle Shota's. "I wanted to be in the Hero Course, but like many others, I was forced to choose a different track. Such is life. I didn't cut it the first time around, but I got another chance. If we do well in the Festival the teachers can decide to transfer us into the Hero Course. And they'll have to transfer people out to make room."

I tensed up at hearing this. Was he serious? Or just trying to taunt us?

His eyes wandered over the room, looking at all of us. "Scouting the competition? Maybe some of my peers are. But I'm here to let you know if you don't bring your very best I'll steal your spot right from under you." He put his hand down and glared at us. "Consider this, a declaration a war."

Silence fell as the blue haired kid and Bakugo stared at one another. I kept my hand on the wall in case got bad until another person come out of nowhere, his hair a sort of gray. "Hey, you! I'm from Class 1-B next door to you! We heard you fought some Villains and I came to see if that was true, but you're just a bunch of brats who think you're better than us!" He continued to shout. Why was everyone hating us?! "Talk all you want it'll be nothing once you're K.O. Don't you ignore me!" He shouted as Bakugo just walked by everyone, not even caring.

"Dude where are you going?!" Kirishima shouted to him. "It's your fault they're all hating on us Bakugo!"

He turned his head and spoke. "These people don't matter." Was all he said.

"Huh?" Kirishima said confused.

"The only thing that matters is I beat them." He said before continuing to walk off."

"Hey! I'm coming for you!" The gray haired kid again popping up from the crowd. Hana did her best to stifle her laughter.

"Despite how he handled it, he's right Mason." She then looked up at me smiling. "Seems there's a lot more at stake than we thought at the festival huh?"

I nodded. "Yup." I took my left hand and punched it into my right. "Then again I like a challenge from time to time. So many students mean a lot of Quirks and talents we'll get to see. Who knows, I might get into a good fight as well."

"Just don't get h-hurt okay?" She asked.

"I won't! There's plenty of time for that during training. We got two weeks after all."

* * *

Despite how wrong I wanted to be, I was right about hurting. With the Festival in two weeks and events totally randomized, that meant having to prepare for all sorts of situations we'd be put into. Even if it meant going beyond our limits.

Our usual time spent in the gym or our Hero class was instead given to us to train. That meant we had multiple facilities to use, and extra opportunities as well. They even had some different environments we could use as well. Not to mention a pool Tsuyu made good use of.

That wasn't what I was worried about though. After the randomized events was a simple round robin tournament from what Shota had told me. We'd be put against one another and fight with our Quirks, showing off what combat skills we have. In a way, it was the perfect way for us to each show off our Quirks without other people trying to outshine us. The only thing stopping us to get there would be the first few events.

During one of the days we had to train, me and Hana both went into one of the urban areas that had been set up for the entrance exam. She had agreed to train me, so I was going to make sure I took up on that offer. It'd be rude not to.

"So how do you want to do this?" She asked as she straightened out the gym uniforms we had on and put her hair into a single braid, keeping part of it over her right eye as always.

I began rotating my arm around for stretches. "Well I'm good fighting with my fist and all, but I also need someone to fight against as well instead of just a punching bag or dart board."

"Well then," She unsheathed the sword at her side and held it with both hands, the blade parallel to the ground and pointing at me. "Show me what you can do in an open space and we'll work from that. Unlike the Battle Training, we're not going to be in a building during the Tournament."

"Good point." With a sigh I held my hand out for a rod of stone to form from the pebbles and sand around me, solidifying into a staff. "Let's do this!"

My staff at the ready, I ran at her. She brought her blade to her side and as we were at an arm's length from one another she dodged to the side away from my thrusting attack. I lowered my grip down the weapon, swinging with the extra reach I now had. The familiar sound of hitting thick glass entered my ears.

Spinning around I knew she had thrown up a barrier to protect herself from my swing, meaning I could possibly be stuck in her box strategy. The fact she was pacing around confirmed this. From what I knew she could make them disappear and reappear at will. Meaning my only chance to get out would be while she comes in, or goes out after getting a hit on me.

Closing my eyes I focused on the ground, planting my feet firm onto the firm concrete. Unknown to most I couldn't just control the ground underneath me. It was _because_ I could that I could sense the vibrations that came with people's steps meeting the ground.

It was a technique I discovered by accident when Uncle Shota tried training me with a blindfold on, simulating fighting when blinded by someone's Quirk. What he didn't expect was me being able to discern where he was simply because his feet were on the ground. That was the catch though, they had to be on the ground, or some stone-based surface or it didn't work.

Add my patience being quite lengthy, and I'd be able to easily locate where someone was if they were within a twenty-foot distance of my location. The exact same range of my control of any stone, dirt or sand. I could feel Hana's footsteps all around me as she paced.

I snapped around to four-o'-clock as soon as I felt her steps distance further apart than what they had been. Ducking I tried my best to move out of the cube she made and brought up a stone wall to cover my exposed back.

She didn't bother wasting time as the stone wall was cut down the middle by her sword. I brought the stone staff up to block her strike.

"Don't worry, I'll put a barrier over my blade when I plan on actually hitting you." She said to me.

"Well," I struggled to push her back as she continued to bring her blade down. "That's one less concern I need to have. What's that katana made of anyway? That thing has to be sharp to cut through stone like that."

"Don't... Know!" She attempted to kick me in the gut. I backed up and got into a stance like I was playing pool, trying to hit her while keeping a distance between us. She put her blade against my staff switching to an underhanded grip, closing the distance as sand was shaved off my weapon. "Father says it's a trade secret."

She flicked her wrist as I let myself fall back at the waist to dodge the attack. What scared me was the fact I could _hear_ it go past my face. An idea occurred to me then. I put my hands on the ground, and flipped back onto my feet, still keeping my hands on the ground as I crouched. "Checkmate," I said with a smile as the ground around her turned into sand and then back to solid concrete around her ankles.

Looking down she let her arms drop and sighed. "The sad thing is your weapon is the very ground you and your opponent stand on. Sometimes it's the most obvious things that are dangerous."

"Like that one corner, you always bang your pinky toe against somehow, even though you know it's in your house?" I asked.

She laughed as I let the shackles dissolve so she could walk over and we could relax. "Well, that's one strange yet hilarious way of thinking of it."

"Hey, guys! That was freaking awesome!" We both turned around to see Kirishima running over, and from the looks of it, he was currently in his Hardened state. "I was over there jumping off the building when I saw you two fighting down the street. Seriously you like some ninjas or something?"

"N-not exactly..." Hana said. "I mean I'm not th-that good."

Seems she had reverted to her usual shyness as the red-haired boy made his way over. I was still confused on how she could go from commando to shy as a mouse in a second flat.

"Yeah right!" He said to her before turning to me. "And dude, you seriously have a handle on that Quirk. You're like Cementoss!"

"Not really. He can manipulate concrete, while I can do almost anything along the lines of dirt, stone, or sand." I explained to him.

"Still, if you can make weapons like that that's already a win for most people."

"True I guess... Wait what was that about jumping off a building?!"

"Hey, no need to be worried." He held his arm up and Hardened it. "Just training to see how heavy of a hit I can take."

"Well, that's one way of doing it..."

"It sure is!" He said, still keeping his upbeat tone. "Anyhow, I'll let you two get back to your training. Surprised you're not with Ashido though. You two really seem to get along."

Hana's footsteps cause me to look behind me to see her sitting down on the pavement. She drew her blade and looked at the blade, closely inspecting it. I walked over and sat down beside her. Only looking at it like this could I see even through everything she had been through in the past few weeks, the blade has no scratches or showed any signs of chipping the blade really had to be a piece of work.

As I put my face closer to her right side she moved over exceptionally fast. "D-don't worry! Just checking Yujin is all..."

"Yujin?" I asked confused. After thinking it over I realized that "yujin" was another way of saying friend instead of "tomo" as I usually did when speaking Japanese.

She nodded embarrassed. "My mom said giving a sword a name is like giving it a reason to be by your side. It's silly... But this sword is like a friend to me before I met anyone else. I did have one other friend once, though I'm not sure how he'd react to seeing me like this." She laughed as she said the last part. "He wasn't someone to be shy around. In a way, he was kinda like you Mason." She got up off the ground and offered her hand to pull me up. "Now, let's get back to training. Still, need to get at least one win on you."

I smiled as I stood up, putting my hand out for another stone to staff to form out of the concrete. "How about we go... Three out of five? The last one doesn't count." I offered.

She gave me a smile just as big as mine, her eyes narrowing as she readied the katana. "I'll think about it. After all I think a challenge is a good way to train."

* * *

Throughout those two weeks that were leading up to the Sports Festival, all of us used that time to prepare ourselves. Even when I wasn't in school I still found ways to train and prepare myself. More than likely everyone else as well.

Every day I made sure to train with the others so I could get the most out of my Quirk against different opponents. Except for Bakugo, Todorkoki, or Izuku. Izuku because he couldn't seem to use his Quirk without it hurting himself, and the other two just seemed to distance themselves from the rest of us.

That and Kouda, as he wasn't really one for talking or using his Quirk in combat situations.

Anyone that did help me, however, had the idea in mind to see how to face someone with a large-scale Quirk like mine. I was okay with them using me as an example, it was kind of flattering, to be honest. That and I was kinda doing the same.

Uraraka attempting to try and make me float while I threw up obstacles she had to move around, solid targets for both Ashido and Aoyama to shoot at. I think it was the first time I got to really talk with everyone in class while being either a target or trying out some new techniques.

Yet out of all of those, the strangest talk I had was with Yaoyorozu.

In short, I knew her as the sort of bookish type who was incredibly smart, had good looks, and was disciplined as well. At first, it might be hard to get past her seriousness and the way she wouldn't cut corners with explaining things, but that was a good point for her in my book. It just showed she cared.

At the time I had been in the ruined city zone with some of the others, working on the Shaping part of my Quirk. To describe it it was like the firm stone became putty in my hands, making it easy to shape. I had been pushing on a stone wall with my hand, watching as it slowly sank in. You could say this was what caught her attention.

"Interesting..." She said as she walked up from behind.

"What is?" I asked as I looked back to see her looking inquisitively at what I was doing.

"Despite what I thought you're not just making weapons like I do out of nowhere. It's like your body secretes an acid similar to Ashido, only it works with minerals and you have to physically touch it. Is this how you make your weapons more polished Ishi?" She asked me while keeping her eyes on how my hand retracted from the wall and the hand print stayed there.

"Pretty much. It's a good way for me to switch my weapons from lethal to non-lethal when the situation changes, also call me Mason. Anyways my mom explained it as the oils-"

"The oils the human body normally secret that can erode some types of mineral over time. It's not that you're producing more of it, rather it's a higher corrosivity, am I right?"

"Y-yeah, I think. Are you interested in my Quirk specifically or just looking around at everyone?" I asked. Someone just randomly coming up to me and asking about my Quirk was a bit surprising to me.

"Not necessarily. I actually wanted to ask you a question. That is if I'm not intruding."

I shook my head. "Not one bit. Fire away."

"Why is it you only ever make weapons to fight, when it's clear that you can move the ground however you wish? I feel it'd be more efficient than making weapons that could break from an attack like Izuku's or be cut by Kennagasa's sword. I feel if you were trying to keep it as a trump card you'd be developing it a bit more than just martial arts training. In short, why aren't you looking at your potential?"

"Well," I said leaning back against the wall, putting my hand on the wall, causing the hand print to disappear. "It's less of not wanting to push, and more of pushing myself too hard at times. Don't get me wrong, I have a good grasp on making the ground race at you and smack into you, or making rocks shoot at whatever direction I want. The thing is I can't control the output that that comes from the input."

"Output?" She seemed curious. "So is it more..." She made a piece of chalk from her own body and began writing on the wall. "From what I understand you can 'shoot the gun' as we'll put it, but nonetheless, it's still a bullet being fired?"

It took me a moment but I was able to understand what she was saying. "Yeah. If I shoot a rock at you, it's still a rock. It's either going to hurt, plus when the adrenaline starts getting to work it's even more difficult to keep that in mind."

"Then show me."

"What!?" I shouted.

"I said show me what you can do. What would happen if you raised the input to the absolute max? Otherwise, how are you ever going to adjust the 'primer' that launches the bullet?" She smiled as she pointed at a building with the piece of chalk.

"Are you sure about this? I mean with everyone around-" She put her hand up to me and shook her head.

"No excuses. You won't be able to adjust unless you see what you can do. Worst comes to worst, you'll only exhaust yourself. Now let it all out! Take down that building over there, we're far enough that no one will get hurt." She shouted.

I walked over to the building. It was around maybe a five story building, each being maybe ten or fifteen feet. The fact she was having me use my whole power on a building was bringing back some memories I rather not revisit. For extra precaution, I stood at a maximum of 19 feet away or so from what I could tell.

With my hands out in front of me and open, I began to close them as if I was holding something tight. Everything seemed to go silent as the ground around me began to crack and pop. Loose Debris began to fall off the ruined building, and pieces of stone float around me with how much I was influencing the area around me.

Once I felt my grip was sufficient, I closed my hands into a fist as if I was crushing it.

Now was the moment of truth. Looking at the building, all I could see was how it was crumbling like it was cereal being poured out of a box. The bottom of the building gave way as it and the anything even close to a mineral was turned into powder, with a few bits of metal supports and pieces of shattered glass here and there. I held out my hand and moved it to the right, causing the huge cloud of sand to move backward instead of towards me and Yaoyoruzo.

After I was sure it had been collapsed safely, I turned around to see her eyes wide and her mouth opened in shock. Some of the others were running over, Hana and Ashido being some of them. Iida stopped in his tracks beside me, just as shocked.

"Is everything alright over here!? We saw a building break and-"

"Mason, you okay? We heard a big crash and ran over here. We thought something had gone wrong or someone got hurt. Are you okay?" Ashido asked as she rushed over along with Hana.

"Yeah, I'm-" I then crumpled to my knees, my head feeling like it was splitting open. "Never mind, forgot about the migraine... God that hurts like a bitch!" I cursed as I put my hands to my temples. I steadied myself up, trying to not lean on anyone despite Iida and Ashido helping me otherwise. "Sorry about the cursing..."

"Mason I know we're training, but to go to this scale isn't what was implied. You should rest a bit. Ashido can you please give me a hand?" Iida said as they tried to get me away from the building I had practically decimated.

"No, it was my fault. Iida." Yaoyoruzu walked up and take my other arm over her shoulder. "I pushed him cause I thought it'd be better for him. I'm sorry Ish- Mason, I didn't know it'd be this stressful on you." She looked down guilt on her face.

"Don't apologize. You were just trying to help me out as a Classmate. I'm just having... A rocky start." I said while smiling my best evil smile. Ashido laughed out loud, and Iida seemed to shake his head.

"I don't know whether to be disappointed at the pun or the fact I want to laugh as well..."

Hana smiled. "Just means he's still up and kicking if he's able to make a joke."

"Well, just don't do it again, okay Mason?" Ashido said as she helped me. "We're your classmates, and we worry about you when stuff like this happens, heck when it's anyone for that matter. Don't push yourself too hard."

I wasn't sure if it was the fact it was someone saying it, or specifically, her saying it, but those words made me smile for some reason. To the best of my ability, I tried to smile, though my grimacing in pain was evident as well. "Don't worry, I won't Ashido."

"Ishi," Iida said adjusting his glasses. "Please don't flirt with our classmates while I'm carrying you. You're making me a literal wingman."

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah some nice training! Sure the effects of crushing I don't know... over 2000 pounds of concrete into fine powder are a bit of a headache, but at least now we have a decent show of how powerful his Quirk is outright. He won't be able to always use weapons after all. Also yes! I can finally get the Sports Festival underway now with the training done. Just hope he puts it into good practice... Now for some reviews from you guys and gals.**

 **pokemonking0924: As always you're willing to give steady reviews for my this story, thank you my dude, or dudette. Plus I can't just rush into the story quite yet, gotta get that training done! Next chapter will be heading into the Festival, however.**

 **Guest: I'm hoping to possibly have t revealed around maybe training camp or around there. Maybe shoot for before the rescue arc or so. Not entirely sure how things will be that far, but I definitely plan for it to be one of the big moments for Mason.**

 **A Certain Triangle: Some of Mason's inspiration did come from how some characters are a sort of mix between their parent's Quirks. Though it was mostly spurred on from Todoroki and how he's the result of a Quirk Marriage. So think of Mason as a "natural" Quirk Marriage if you will, sort of like Bakugo. It's because Mason and Todoroki's are similar in that aspect I felt having to use the Earth Manipulation in a similar fashion would be too much like Todoroki, something I try to avoid when it comes to OCs in a whole when you have a series like BNHA where each character has these unique abilities that make them, them.**

 **Now, a few sentences from next week's chapter.**

 **"Beat those punks into the ground!"**

 **"We're all gonna have to fight to stand out."**

 **"You're all making a mountain out of a mole hill."**


	16. Chapter 16

Moving as fast as my body would allow me to, I slammed my hand down on my alarm clock. The whole feeling of today being the Sports Festival was rushing entirely through me. All that I could feel was pure excitement, yet there was that usual nervousness as well.

For the past two weeks, this is what I had been training for with the rest of my classmates. Depending on how things went this could make my whole goal of showing everyone who I was that much closer. Today I was going to make myself known. I was going to go to this Festival and show everyone that just because I was a Villain's son, I could still become a Hero.

During the night I had thought about how only Hana knew about my situation. Sure she didn't know who my dad was, but she knew what he was. Everyone had treated me as my own person, and to keep secrets like this from people who trusted me just as much didn't feel right to me. More specifically, it felt wrong to hide it from Ashido for some reason.

Ever since the day we hung out at the mall, I felt this strange need to talk with her more. It seemed she felt the same as she seemed to talk with me more as well than before. It was some sort of strange attraction I couldn't describe with words.

I shook my head as I put on my muscle shirt before heading down to eat breakfast. The last thing I needed were those kinds of thoughts in my mind. The only thing that needed to be on my mind was doing my best.

From what I made sure to remember the first two events were entirely randomized. Uncle Shota had told me these would be when they'd be filtering out those who wouldn't be able to get that far. Afterward would be a breather of some more recreational activities. The true prize was what was after. A customary tradition of the Sports Festival was the round robin Tournament. Two students would face, then those that won that fight would proceed until only two more would be left to fight it out.

In other words, a simple kind of Tournament you'd see in most sports or shows. For us, it'd be the best time to show off our Quirks with only our opponents being our competition.

"Mason! You need to eat your food! You're gonna need a lot of energy if you're gonna get as far as you want in the Sport's Festival today. Not to mention I'll have to get going right after you leave. Shota was able to get me a good seat as well!"

"R-right mom! Almost forgot about eating..." I admitted as I realized she had made sausage and biscuits, with a side of eggs. A personal favorite of mine.

"I know you like those sandwiches from the cafe, so I tried to make it more... Breakfasty for you." She then rolled up her sleeve and hit her hand on her own arm, attempting to flex. "Do your damn best you got that!? Beat those punks into the ground!" She shouted.

"Mom, don't shout too much. You'll strain your vocal cords," I said as I began eating. Once I realized it was almost time for me to start walking to the station and to school, I began finishing up and grabbing a bottle of water to put in my bag.

I always made sure to have all of my stuff by the door and ready for when I needed to get going in the morning. Buttoning on my uniform and getting the rest of my attire situated, I got ready to head out the door. Locking the door behind me, I made my way out to U.A., ready for whatever was going to be thrown at me.

* * *

One thing I was glad about getting to school a little bit early was having some free time before the day started, along with the Festival. There would be no classes today, so that meant no worrying about homework or having to bring anything extra.

All I had in my bag was some pencils, my binder, and of course some bottles of water to stay hydrated. I was drinking one of the many I had brought with me as I made my way to our classroom, only to see a paper taped to it. Putting the water away I took a look at what it said.

 _Students are to report to their assigned locker rooms for today's Sports Festival. You may pack all your belongings in there as well, along with your uniforms. Any other equipment ie; Support Items for the Hero Courses or the like, must be registered in the office with your year's umpire and homeroom teacher._

After reading the paper, I did as it said and made my way to the locker rooms. Each one had a year number, and of course the letter for said class. 1-A was first of course, and I could hear a few voices coming from behind the door. I opened it to see Iida, Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, and Tokoyami either sitting at tables that had been set up inside. Even more, they were currently wearing their gym uniforms.

Soon as I walked in Yaoyorozu pointed at the lockers. "Place your stuff in one of the lockers. Seems we'll be wearing our gym uniforms as to keep anyone from having an advantage with their costumes. Also, please make sure to get dressed out of sight so we don't see... Them..." She said while trying to not talk about my body.

"Hey, the guy can't help it!"Kirishima said as I went to the locker and began putting on my sleeveless gym uniform. "Just about all of us are in some sort of good physical shape. Just some more than others." He said a bit nervously at the end.

"I don't blame her," I said as I came back over and stretched my legs. "From a certain standpoint, we are kids in high school. Sometimes we tend to lose focus when thinking about other... Things. Right now though, we have to aim for the top. Plus," I took out a bag and began to shape the sand around I had in it. "A little extra training doesn't hurt, right?"

"Wow look at the way it moves, so smooth," Uraraka said, watching me make the sand flow around like water.

"To be fair he has a point," Iida said agreeing with me. "Even I made sure to get some running done before arriving here. I wonder how long it will take for everyone else to arrive, or when the Festival will even start."

"You should since you're Class Representative right?" I asked.

He then looked down. "...You're right." He stood up and walked out the door, before popping his head back in once again. "I shall be right back once I correct this mistake."

Once the door closed we could hear furious running that wasn't even able to be hidden. Uraraka just kept watching me move the sand around. She was extremely fixed on watching it as it just curled in on itself. It was like a cat intently watching a laser pointer move around.

* * *

I must've gotten there early as it wasn't for another few minutes until everyone in Class 1-A arrived and was in their gym uniforms. Everyone had gone to their respective groups of friends talking with one another. Others like Bakugo and Todoroki just stayed at the edges of the room, waiting.

Just like earlier I was shifting the small amount of sand around, making sure to get some manipulation training into the last second. Sure we were going to be on the ground for the whole thing, but it was more of a mental thing for me. Sort of like checking you locked the door when leaving the house so no one could just open the door and take everything you own. I let it drop and watched as it melted into the already existing stone floor.

Hana and Ashido both came over as I stood up. "You ready Mason?" Ashido asked me as she made a fist and gave me a determined look.

"You know it. You Hana?" We both looked at her for her answer.

She gripped onto the sword at her side and nodded. "I'm still nervous... But I c-can manage. Let's do this!" She shouted with enthusiasm. This was the first time outside of our training or combat I had seen her determined like this. Just like before though her hair had been put in a ponytail, that small bit still covering her right eye.

With how each second was bringing us closer and closer to the Festival starting, the pressure was beginning to set in. It was a similar feeling to the Entrance Exams. Everyone waiting to show off what skills they had and how useful they could be... It just showed how much each of us wanted to stand at the top.

I look at my hand, seeing it visibly shake. Quickly I made a fist. You're going to win today. You're going to get that First Place and tell them who you are and what you're going to do. This is one of the only times I'll be able to show everyone that I'm not some carbon copy. I thought to myself.

The door then opened. "Everyone get your game faces on! We'll be entering the arena soon!" Iida shouted as he stood there. He had been checking in every few minutes to make sure we'd leave on time.

To relax I closed my eyes and made sure to loosen my muscles, so I wasn't tense. It was while doing this I felt footsteps hitting the floor. The way they moved, calm and focused, there was only one person in class who had a similar pattern.

"Midoriya." I heard Todoroki say.

"Hey, Todoroki. What's up?" Izuku asked him. Everyone, including me, began to pay attention to the surprising conversation.

"From an objective standpoint, I think it's fairly clear I'm stronger than you." He said. Izuku seemed surprised at his statement but nodded in agreement. "However, you've got All Might in your corner helping you out. I'm not here to pry about what's going on between you two, but know that I will beat you."

"What's with all these declarations of war lately?" Denki asked, clearly nervous. Kirishima, however, stood right up and made his way over.

Kirishima, however, stood right up and made his way over. He placed his hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "Yeah what's the big deal? Why are you starting a fight all of a sudden? And right before we get started?"

Todoroki then nudged his arm off. "We're not here to be each other friends." He turned around and began to make his way out. "Don't forget this isn't a team effort."

"Wait a sec Todoroki," Izuku said, speaking up. It was if all the attention had moved to him now. So much Todoroki stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I don't know what's going through your head, or why you think you need to tell me you'll beat me, and yeah, of course, you're better than me. In fact, you probably have more potential than anyone in the Hero Course, that's why you got in so easily."

Kirishima put his hands up. "Hey Midoriya maybe you're being a little hard on yourself, and us."

"No. He's right you guys." Izuku then looked down, clenching his own fist. "All the other Course, they're coming at us with everything they've got." He then stopped clenching his fist and looked up. "We're all gonna have to fight to stand out," He looked at Todoroki, and not even seeing Izuku's eyes I could tell there was a determination in them. "And I'll be aiming for the top, too."

Todoroki looked at him, keeping his face blank. "Fine."

The room that had been filled with nervousness and the excitement we thought of the Festival, was suddenly changed. That whole conversation had shown that this wasn't something like our middle school or elementary Sport's Festivals. No, this was a chance for us to fully stand out from the rest. Whatever doubt had been in some of our hearts was gone now, and instead replaced with a fiery spirit.

Just as much as anyone else, I felt the need to go and make a name for myself out there.

* * *

As we walked out the entrance to the open field that was in the middle of the arena, I could hear Present Mic's commentary. In a way he like my "other" uncle if you could call it that. Compared to Uncle Shota, he was more enthusiastic and light-hearted. No doubt he was feeling right at home giving commentary on this year's Sports Festival for us First Years.

Just like the Entrance Exam, that same amount of pressure was there. Except we didn't know what challenges we were going to face for the preliminary rounds this time. The same air of competition was there, but it was different. More charged and controlled.

That same charge came to a peak as we made our way out of the dark tunnel and into the bright sunlight. The first thing I saw after my eyes cleared from the sudden amount of light was the number of people. The filled stand with citizens and pros alike dwarfed the everyday crowd I had come to know when taking the train or going to the station.

"This first group are no strangers to the spotlight! You know them from withstanding a Villain attack. The dazzling students lining up your TVs with solid gold skills. The Hero Course students of Class 1-A!" Present Mic announced, hyping up the entire audience as he usually did.

With all these eyes on me, I tried my best to stay focused. If there was one thing that wasn't in my favor, it was the number of Pros who would be constantly assessing our skills and how we went about certain situations.

"This is a lot of people, huh Mason?" Hana said as she walked beside me.

"Sure is. Just think, there's probably just as many at their homes watching us on their TVs." I said, suddenly realizing this was just a majority of people who were able to get a seat here in the arena.

"Y-you're r-r-r-right!" From her voice, I could tell her shyness was starting to get the better of her.

I whipped around and put my hand on her shoulder. "Hana, don't freak out. It'll be fine. Just be yourself, and do what we're here to do."

"Right. Let's do this!" She said. Though it was obvious she was still nervous.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Time to show em what we got!"

Looking around I could see there were other entrances to the arena all around the center of the field. Each one had students funneling out. Seeing they were wearing the same red, white, and blue gym uniforms as we were, they were definitely the other first years.

"And sure they might not have gotten as much screen time, but this next group is still chalked full of talent! Welcome, Hero Course Class 1-B! Next up, General Studies Class C, D, and E! Support Classes F, G, and H! And finally Business Classes I, J, and K! Give it up for all of U.A.'s First-Year Contestants!" Shouted Present Mic, keeping up his general enthusiasm.

All of us made our way to the center of the field, an empty patch of dirt surrounded by the grass covering the whole area. Set up was a small stage and microphone, and standing on top was a female Hero, who was dressed rather... It wasn't that her clothing was revealing.

It was the fact her dominatrix-esque costume easily showed off her appeal. Around me, some of the other students had tinges of red around their cheeks, just as caught off-guard as I was seeing Midnight in her costume.

"Someone should talk to Miss Midnight about what she's wearing..." Kirishima stated.

"Yeah, that costume should come with a warning," Denki said agreeing. Tokoyami seemed to be of the opposite mindset.

"Is that really appropriate apparel for a High School game?"

Despite Tokoyami's statement, I could feel Mineta giving his all too vocal approval for her costume. Midnight was a Pro Hero and the well known R-Rated Heroine. Though I knew her as Nemuri Kayama, an acquaintance Uncle Shota. Though they weren't necessarily as close as Present Mic and my uncle are, there had been a few times where I had met her when I'd tag along with my uncle from time to time for training.

Despite how she chose to dress, she was still the umpire for this year's games for us.

"Silence everyone!" She shouted while also cracking her small whip. "And for the student pledge, we have Katsuki Bakugo!"

I looked to my left to see him walking up to the stage, hands in his pockets. It took me a second to realize he was probably our year's representative since he did get first place in the Entrance Exam from what I heard.

Unlike me though Izuku, Hanta, and Denki pointed it out more vocally, getting a response from one of the girls in General Studies. "Only for the Hero Course." She said with a bit of sass behind it.

"Oh, sorry," Izuku said apologizing.

"That girl obviously hates us," Hanta whispered.

"Yeah, and we got Bakugo to thank for them not liking our class."

"Well Denki, he is Bakugo. Isn't a day without him getting pissed off." I pointed out.

"Not gonna argue with ya on that."

I put my finger up to my lips for us to stop talking as Bakugo reached the microphone. There were two ways this was going to go I felt. Either he was going to be surprisingly respectful of the Festival, or give the other classes even more of a reason to gun after us.

The latter seemed more likely than ever tasting chocolate in vanilla ice cream. All of Class 1-A held our breath in anticipation of what the explosive Quirk user was about to say.

"I just wanna say," He said with almost no emotion in his voice "I'm gonna win."

As soon as those words left his mouth the other classes booed at him, while I and the others in Class 1-A began to feel the dread creeping upon us. We all knew deep down though he was going to pull something like this, we just wanted to hope he wouldn't for once.

"Why would you be so disrespectful you're representing us all!" Iida said, moving his hand frantically in their usual chopping motion.

Bakugo turned around and gave thumbs down. "Not my fault the rest of you are all just stepping stones to my victory."

Bakugo ended up doing what he did best in the end- pissing people off in the worst way possible. To be honest I didn't really care about him making us have even more targets on our backs. Sure it was a bit insensitive to say, but there was a reason some of these people didn't get in so easily.

Not only was it because of our rating in the Entrance Exam with Villain Points and Rescue Points. It was also the fact most of us had Quirks that were majorly more helpful in the field. Still, it was best to still be cautious.

"Without further a due it's time for us to get started!" Midnight declared. "This is where you begin feeling the pain. The first fateful game of the Festival!" She said, cracking her whip once more. A giant hologram appeared behind her, looking like some kind of slot machine with the names of different events on it. If anything all we could make it was just blurs of different colors. "What could it be? Well, ta-da!" She exclaimed as it stopped, the identity of the first event clear as day. The first event of the Festival was to be an Obstacle Course. On paper, it sounded simple, but this was U.A. after all. No doubt there was going to be a special twist to this whole thing. "All eleven classes will compete in this treacherous contest, on a four-kilometer track surrounding the stadium. I don't want to restrain anyone, at least in this game," She cracked her whip once again and turned to give us a blood-chilling look. "So long as you stay on the track, you're free to do whatever your heart desires." The crowd immediately burst into an uproar of cheering. Just from that, I knew what she meant.

In this event, we would have access to our Quirks in however we chose. So long as we stayed in the boundaries, that being the track itself, we could use them as much as we wanted to our advantage.

Yet in hindsight, she said "whatever", meaning anything was game. Not just Quirks. I could see the Support Course had brought their own gadgets and the like, and more than a few of the other course students had tricks up their sleeves to get by. What was irritating me though, was the number of people in my twenty-foot-range. Right now I just wanted to get racing out and using my Quirk with the amount of dirt in the area.

"Now then, Take your places contestants!" She announced, gesturing to the giant red gate that was our starting line.

Everyone headed over, and I could feel every single footstep like it was on my own skin. It was sort of like an itch. To explain I had that sort of anticipation you would get when you were ready for something to happen. I wasn't nervous though, far from it.

If anything, it was now the silent anticipation of waiting for the alarm to go off so we could all rush out onto the track. No way, were they going to let all of us proceed to the next event of the Festival. The best plan for anyone was to be the first one to get there for a concrete spot in the other events.

Preparing my legs, I got into position to fully sprint. If I needed to regain my breath I could just use my Quirk to deter some of the others. All that mattered to me was getting to the top, just like everyone else.

No longer am I going to stand being compared to my dad. I'll show them that I am ME, no one else! I screamed in my head silently. One of the lights turned off, a small sound followed. The countdown to the beginning of the Sport's Festival had begun. With each moment the reasons I was here came to me. This my life. I choose how people will see me, and I will not let them see as some Villan my dad was. What he did was wrong, he knows that. But just because he was, doesn't mean I am. So now's my chance, Dad. Now's my chance to become my own person, once and for all! I'll show them all they were wrong!

Everything became silent, time seemed to slow down as the final light turned off. Soon as I heard Midnight's voice I moved my legs, running faster than I ever had in my life. All of the students around me as well, the sounds of running sounding like thunder.

Even with my furious start, the small space after the doorway and before the track itself caused us all to clump together. It was like that time the media had gotten past the security. The same day as the USJ incident.

That memory reminded me of the fact this whole hall was much easier for me to maneuver than some. With my mind I caused to the ground to form a pillar of stone, lifting me up to just below the ceiling, causing the people around me to either fall from the sudden rise or back up, some even climbing it. The next step was easy as I jumped over to the wall, holding my hand out as a platform of stone shot out from the wall.

I looked down once I landed, trying to steady myself. My eyes widened as a blast of cold air shot throughout the space, freezing the ground and trapping some people in it the ice.

Todoroki. Has to be with that amount of power. I thought to myself. Seeing it wasn't spreading to the wall, I held my hand out in front, having the wall create more platforms of stone for me to run on as everyone else made their way. On the opposite side, Hana seemed to be walking on thin air, though I knew it was her barriers. From how she had her sword out.

Seems we both had the same idea. Though mine had a twist. We were fairly close the exit onto the track, and the fact Todoroki had taken out most of the competition helped my overall plan as well for mobility. Once I reached the end I jumped off, and snapped a piece of stone platform off, holding it under me like a surfboard. Once I hit the ground and saw it didn't break, I put my plan into motion. I didn't blame anyone if they were surprised to see me literally surfing on the frozen ground. Then again, part of my Earth Manipulation was overall telekinetic control over anything mineral based.

My eyes widened in shock as I saw I wasn't the only one to get out of his trap. Yaoyorozu had pole vaulted herself by creating a pole, Kirishima was running fairly easily, Bakugo used his Explosion to make himself fly, and Aoyama was launching himself using the force of his laser.

"Well then guys, seems this going to be fun, huh?" I said out loud as I made the ground lift up just enough for a good ramp. With this, I could place first easily, so long as I kept an eye out for the other obstacles.

"I won't let you get away so easily, you Icy-Hot bastard!" Bakugo shouted, so loud we could hear.

From what I could tell I was in a good second place spot. That and apparently Todoroki was making ice everywhere his feet touched the ground. It was a good deterrent for most, but for me, it worked hugely in my favor. After all, ice didn't have as much friction as stone did. All I'd have to do is keep making ramps boost my momentum, and stay on the patches of ice he made so I didn't waste strength moving the stone surfboard.

Instantly my instincts kicked in as I saw a shadow fly over me, and all too familiar purple balls hit the ground. Mineta. From what I could remember if I even touched those things I'd be done for. They would stick to me, and me them. Sure it was a small minefield, but a minefield nonetheless.

I moved my weight to the left over to the wall and jumped up on my board.

 _Hopefully, my skateboarding phase pulls through on this! I'll never make fun of kickflips again!_

Calm came over me as I felt the stone slide against the small metal wall that was keeping us on track. Never in my life had I done a grind this long, even in a video game. Once I was in the clear, I jumped back on the track, only to see there was no more ice to use. Looks like I would have to put in some effort.

Sadly my plans were ripped apart as I saw Mineta hit from the side by an all too familiar hunk of metal. Never did I think I'd see the very robots we had to fight in the entrance exam in this obstacle race. Unlike then though I knew what I was doing now.

I stopped by Izuku, picking up the stone board and shaping it into a spear that had been excellent to cut these things apart.

"It's those robots... From the Entrance Exam." He said his body in a defensive stance.

"Yup," I said, getting into my own stance as I held my spear.

"Oooh! Enemies have shown up out of nowhere!" I could hear Present Mic saying. I was a bit glad to hear his voice. "I bet we're in for a treat here! A test of strength and cunning, it's ROBO INFERNO!" He shouted.

Behind all the familiar One and Two-Pointer faux Villains, was an even more familiar sight. The giant shadow it cast reminded me of the one other time I had gone beyond my limits with my Quirk. The Zero Point Villains were intimidating, but after the USJ incident, it was more of a relief to see the hunks of metal.

While everyone else panicked, only one person stood at the front of the whole thing. The air became cold, and it began to rush at the Villains as we watched Todoroki throw out a giant blast of cold air, instantly freezing one of the Zero Point faux Villains once it made contact. Once that was done, he stood up from his crouched position and ran in between its legs and onward.

"Dude he froze the robot!" I heard a student shout.

"Look between their legs, we can get through!" Another shouted. To me, this seemed like all too perfect for a roll of the dice.

I was proven right as the top half of it began to fall forward, and crashed into the ground. The impact caused the dirt and sand to fly up, creating a giant makeshift smoke screen throughout the area. That didn't stop the smaller ones from moving in though. It was then I realized Hana was right next to me. I readied my stone spear and offered my hand.

"Momentary truce in order to get some payback against these guys?" I asked her.

She mockingly put her finger to her chin looked up as if she was thinking. "Doesn't sound that bad. But there's oh so many."

"You're making a mountain out of a molehill. Let's show these guys what we're all about."

She put her hand in mine, giving a firm, single shake. "Yeah." She said, her eyes extremely alive with ferocity.

We prepared to rush them, only for someone to burst out from the half of the robot that had fallen

"I'M ALIIIIIIVE!"

* * *

 **A/N: What... Have I done. I planned on doing like 3000 or so words for this chapter. But this... Oh boy, that's a lot! Even for me, that's a lot. Seems root beer and some lasagna does miracles! Anyhow, I'd like to see thank all of you guys. The amount of views on this, and people willing to spend their time to even read this is freaking awesome. Even you one single reader from Norway! Thank you, guys and gals. Never did I think this story would be so well-received. Now let's cut the sappy stuff, and head to our reviews!**

 **A Certain Triangle: Well Mason could do something similar since he does have an elemental-based Quirk. We'll just have to see later though how far he will eventually go as this story progresses. As I said, so long as MHA/BNHA is being published, I'm gonna keep writing this story. We've only seen a little bit of how creative Mason can be with his Earth Manipulation.**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh trust me, buddy. The trials ahead will be quite good. More epic fights to come as well! And for the cheerleaders... Well, I already have a good idea of how I'll have Mason react to THAT event.**

 **Previews Ahoy!**

 **"This is nothing compared to what we've been through!"**

 **"She was certainly... Excited."**

 **"I just have one hell of a family."**

 **Two new challengers have arrived!**


	17. Chapter 17

"I'M ALIIIIIIVE!" Shouted Kirishima, startling me. I hadn't known the robot had fallen on top of him. It was reassuring though to see his Quirk had helped him survive. "Can't believe Todoroki pulled something like that! Anyone but me would've been killed."

It was then a few feet away from him another person burst through the metal just like Kirishima had. Except unlike him, this guy's skin was completely covered in metal. His features also resembled one of the students from yesterday who was rather vocal against Bakugo.

"Class 1-A really is full of jerks! I'll smash that Ice guy once I get my hands on him!" He shouted.

"Tetsutetsu from Class 1-B was stuck underneath as well! What are the odds?!" Present Mic commented."If anyone else had gotten hit, they would've been killed."

"You know, anyone other me would've been killed," Tetsutetsu said.

Looking at the two I saw they both had Hardening-type Quirks, and they pretty much said the same exact thing. It must've been nice to meet someone with a similar Quirk. Though that was a subject for later as I realized we were all going to need to get through together.

"We're racing each other but for now let's work together and carve a path!" I heard a student from 1-B say. Scales covered his arm, looking almost like a lizard.

"Agreed. Let's show these tin cans what our class-" I heard someone say as they were cut off from explosions coming from behind me and some other students.

Bakugo shot up into the sky, using his explosions to move through the air. Seeing this I looked ahead at the Faux Villains and ran towards them, my stone spear in my right hand as I prepared to cut down any that got in my way. No way was I going to lose in the first event. I _couldn't_ lose.

I held the spear up, spinning it around me and cutting through the robot like it was made out of butter. Spinning around I stabbed forwards, piercing right through a one-pointers bright red optical sensor. Plenty more were being put down by the other in my class. Foot steps were behind me as I saw Hana jump over and bring down her katana, cutting one right in half down the middle.

She turned on her heel and sliced in front of her. I was amazed seeing another be cut in half by some sort of invisible force, only to see the glint I knew to come off of her barriers. We locked eyes for a second before we raced at one another, getting back to back as Faux Villains came at both of us.

It felt like we were fighting Villains again at the USJ, both of us relying on the other. I crouched down, allowing her to use my back to roll over and attack the robot that had initially been coming at her as I caused spikes to shoot up from the ground and impale the other one.

Even after those had been destroyed we kept a safe distance as we continued to help each other. Seems after all the training we had done we had also gotten used to the way we each fought, easily working off our moves. We continued moving forward, only stopping to take down another robot or help the other. As I ran I realized that it wasn't everyone else wasn't as capable as were. It was that I and the others in Class 1-A weren't even hesitating.

Seems we had learned a lot from the USJ incident, having seen what the world of Pros was really like. What dangers they faced and conquered every day. It was what allowed us to get into the lead as carved our way through.

I stopped in my tracks once I arrived at what was our next obstacle. Just seeing it reminded me of my own personal fear...

"For those of you who thought the first obstacle was easy, let's see how you feel about the second one!" I could hear Present Mic say over the speakers. I looked over the edge to see it was quite a drop. The second obstacle was large pieces of rock like miniature islands, with ropes in between each to get from one to another. "You take a spill and you're out! If you wanna pass you' have to get through... The Pits of Fall!"

"When did they even have time to build something like this?" Uraraka asked out loud. Tsuyu walked up to the edge and got into a crouched position.

"What are you doing?" Ashido asked her, as Tsuyu jumped into the air like the Frog she was.

With ease, she landed on the rope, and from what I could see she was easily making her way across, and exceptionally fast as well. It began to make me think how I'd get across quickly, and safely. Should I try _that?_ Or _that_?

Thoughts began to bounce around in my mind until I heard a loud shouting from a girl behind us. "Everyone, observe what my brilliant gadgets can do! Wire arrows and hover soles!" She displayed proudly. I could tell from the amount of equipment she had she was from the Support Course.

"Hey, how come you get to use all that stuff?" Ashido asked. She probably didn't know about the other Courses like I did.

"The Hero course gets all sorts of combat training for their Quirks. In order to keep things fair, we're allowed to bring whatever gadgets and costumes we want so long as we developed them ourselves." Said the girl. From what I could see she had pink hair and her goggles had an almost Steam Punk feel to them. "So sit back and enjoy the show!"

She shot out of the wires and began to hover as the boots she wore whirred to life. "For the Support Course, this is the best obstacle to show off all our ingenious ideas and creations to the companies out there who might want to buy our product! Hahaha! I hope employers are watching!" She said excitedly, the last bit of her voice echoing.

"She was certainly... Excited." I remarked.

More laughter ensued as she scaled the stone pillar with ease and was launched into the air, landing effortlessly and continuing her way forward.

"Wow, talk about annoying," Ashido remarked.

"Well," I said strolling over to her to stand next to her. "She is a bit annoying, but hey, so am I sometimes."

"What? No way. You're bearable, even when you make puns. She was just..." She said.

"Despite that, seems we may have to do this the old fashion way. Not sure if I could grind on that rope for long, especially with that friction." I let the spear dissipate into the sand and sink into the ground.

"Aw, this is so unfair. Come on, no way we're both losing to her Mason!" She grabbed me by hand and brought me over to a rope. "You said you need less friction, right?"

"Yeah. The less the better."

"Well then, I got a plan. Follow me!" She grabbed onto the rope and began to secrete acid from her hands. As she moved she seemed to be sliding across quite easily.

I was confused on what she meant until I saw the obvious. The rope wasn't melting at all. My brain clicked once I realized how ingenious her plan was. Putting my hand to the ground I made the sand form into another board and got a running start. Worst case scenario, I'd have to push my ability to the max to fly across if I didn't land onto the rope.

Closing my eyes I jumped, the moment between leaving the ground and feeling my feet hit the board and move against the rope feeling as slow as molasses. Once I hit the rope I used my Quirk to steady the stone board and keep myself on the rope. It was nice that Ashido had taken the risk of losing her own placing to help me across the obstacle.

After all, she was the only one who I told about my fear of heights. No doubt Uncle Shota was silently laughing at my predicament. Yet unlike the last obstacle, this one was a bit easier on me. Before I knew it I had made my way across and was running up the stairs leading to the rest of the track.

Seeing there was no ice on the track, I once again began my sprinting. I didn't care how out of breath I'd be, it was better than not being able to continue onto the next game or the tournament. Ashido went right by me, as did Iida. His Quirk was practically made for this. It didn't help just about every other person was passing by me with ease, even those who had been behind me before the second obstacle.

 _Come on Mason, time to throw off the shackles._

Today seemed to be a day of revealing techniques I planned for saving later on, but right now it was a do or die. Placing my feet firmly I focused on the ground around my feet, making it cover my legs like it was armor. Now, this was a real test of my Quirk.

With my right hand, I let it rest at my side. Quickly with all my strength, I threw it like I was throwing a stone knife, along with my legs and my whole body as I was shot forward like a bullet. This was my other mobility technique, one that I had seen a certain manga I had been recently reading.

Seeing the turn coming up I moved my hand like I was turning a door knob, and planted them against the small wall before jumping and using my Quirk to move my legs without actually moving them. It was a bit funny, originally I had thought of this in the case I broke an arm or suffered a similar injury so I could still move it in a fight. This worked as well though. Sure I wasn't anywhere near Iida's Engine, but I was significantly faster than some of the others.

As soon as I caught sight of the next obstacle I let the stone on my legs fall off and made my way over. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I heard a loud explosion, with a bright pink cloud of smoke followed with it.

Everyone who had been in front of me was now slowed down quite a bit, avoiding what could only be a minefield. I made my way across carefully, making sure to not step on any. No doubt they weren't lethal, but more than likely they would send you flying.

From observing I could see that where they placed the mines was much darker than the rest of the dirt around it. This was definitely a perfect obstacle. It meant anyone who was in the front was significantly slowed down, but so was anyone in the back. Unless you could fly over or were fast enough to outrun the explosions from setting them off, you could only slowly make your way across while watching your step.

The real obstacle though was trying not to laugh at people's screams of surprise when they happened to step onto one. Looking around another idea popped into my head. Since the landmines themselves weren't minerals, would my sense work?

I closed my eyes, only focusing on the ground. My face broke out into a smile as I saw that I couldn't "see" the area the line mines occupied. This made it much easier for me as I began to move much faster than before now that I didn't need to worry them. Even with how my burden had been lightened, I could still sense the foot steps of those who were ahead of me and that I passed.

With my eyes close anyone could take advantage of me, but even when I felt something touch my arm for a second I heard a girl's voice sincerely say "Sorry" instead of grabbing me and throwing me onto a landmine.

My eyes were forced open as I felt a giant tremor go through my sense, similar to shining a light directly into someone's eyes. I looked behind to see a giant explosion that could only be caused by the landmines. Overhead an object flew as I begun to once again break into a sprint. Seems near the exit they were less intent on using landmines.

"Nice trick with the ice Todoroki!" I said mockingly as I put the pedal to the metal on my feet.

"Deku, what the heck you think you're doing huh?!"

From here I could now see that it had been Izuku who was flying through the air, hanging onto a piece of metal from one of the robots back at the beginning. Todoroki and Bakugo both began to break out the big guns, Bakugo using his explosions to propel himself and Todoroki making a path of ice as he ran. I held out my hand, making a stone board for what seemed to be the final time for the obstacle course.

All four of us realized we were so close to completing the track, and it made each of us all the more desperate to place first. Present Mic's voice was commentating, but it was drowned out by how much we all wanted to get first place and pass Izuku.

Right now using the ice Todoroki made and staying slightly behind him was worth it, so long as I put my own twist into the mix once we rounded back to the entrance into the stadium. Everything was reaching a climax as we neared the end of the minefield, and Izuku landed in front of us for a second, before doing the unexpected. A loud clang went through my ears as he slammed the piece of metal down, and triggered an explosion from one of the scarce landmines.

As we were caught off guard I could sense his foot steps going at full speed, just like were, not letting it stop us.

"Eraserhead your students are amazing! What the heck are you teaching them!?" Present Mic said aloud. My mind stopped for a second as I realized Uncle Shota had been commentating this whole time.

"This has nothing to do with me. Each of them is being powered by their own drives."

A pressure felt applied to my chest at that moment. It was similar to when I had first visited my uncle in the hospital after the USJ incident, but lighter. It only made me will the stone board to move faster as I broke off the ice trail by creating a ramp and sailing into the air onto the ground, running just behind Bakugo and Todoroki as we entered a tunnel similar to one at the start of this obstacle course.

Nothing mattered at this moment as we were caught between this four man tie.

Yet even with how much effort we were forcing our bodies to go through, it was nothing as Izuku broke out of the tunnel and into the stadium. As the green-haired boy took first place. Even with my own Surfing technique, it as Bakuog and Todoroki passed by me with ease.

At the sound of an unexpected voice shouting my name, I turned around to see an all too shocking sight. Along with my all too proud mother holding a poster with my name on it, there was a man right next to her who looked like a significantly older me, and with a lot more muscle. All I could do was turn around and put my fist up into the air, my head down as I tried my best not to cry seeing my parents in the same vicinity without bars separating them for the first time in five years.

"Mason!" I heard Hana and Ashido both shout towards me. I hoped they wouldn't see as I tried holding back my tears.

"Mason- Hey, are you okay?" Hana asked, worry on her face.

I calmly took my arm and made it seem like I was wiping sweat from my brow, and then turned around with a smile on my face. "Yeah, it's just..." I looked up once again, directly at both of my parents. For all I cared, it didn't matter how my dad got here or if he _actually_ broke out of jail like he said he would. "I just have one hell of a family."

They both looked in the direction I was. It didn't take long for them to start waving at my mom, and eventually my dad. Both of my parents waved back, smiles on their faces, especially my dad's. I saw him lean into my mom's ear to whispering something. My mom repeatedly nodded her head, and instantly I knew what was up. All of my sentimentality had turned into urgency to get through this next event.

 _The moment I get up there, I'll make sure it's across_ neither _of them are my GIRLFRIEND! Just... Very good friends._

Even with the thought of my both my parents teasing me, it was worth the sight I was given. I would rather have Fourth Place and get to experience a family get together without bars between us than having first place for all I cared. Seeing my dad here made me all the more motivated to win the Sports Festival, even if this was just a setback I'd still win it. I would win to show that I am my own person.

"Come on guys, I'm pretty sure they're about to announce the next event," I said as I began to walk over to the stage where Midnight was standing and everyone else was heading.

* * *

 **A/N: UUUUUUGGGGGGH. Didn't think I'd be making myself feel feels with this. I just started writing, and... Give me a sec to get a tissue god damn. And I thought Angel Beats made me cry! I got nothing to say here, let's just look at last chapter's reviews before I'm a mess ;-;**

 **Next weeks chapter Preview, time to rev things up!**

 **A Certain Triangle: You're right with how most of earth is rocks, and when you think about that you see how strong Mason could be if he ever put his mind to it. Gotta keep it simple though. You can't have a character be _too_ OP. He needs to get to that point.**

 **pokemonking0924: Gonna have to wait for next chapter to meet those new challengers buddy, sorry. As for who will be teaming up with Hana and Mason, remember those challengers? Still, there will be no shortage of drama that's about to go on once we hit the Tournament battles. Not to mention a nice bit of history on Hanakabe...**

 **To the previews!**

 **"Cavalry Battle?"**

 **"We all ready?"**

 **"Oh no, I'm just ready to _rock._ "**

 **"I need help, and I feel you're the only one I can trust."**

 **Time to finally meet our new challengers... And for secrets to be revealed! Let the Cavalry Battle... BEGIN!**


	18. Chapter 18

"The first game for the First-Years is finally over! And what a game it was!" Midnight said over the microphone. "Now let's take a look at the standings shall we?"

A hologram of a leaderboard popped up, showing forty-six openings for whoever places where. One by one each name was revealed. Some relief came over me as I saw both Hana and Ashido made it on, along with the rest of our class, with Aoyama in dead last.

I felt sorry for the guy as I saw him clutching his stomach. From what I remembered, he could shoot a laser out of his belly button. The downside of the power from it was if he shot for longer than a second, he'd get a stomachache. Just like Hana his belt allowed him to focus it and widen the range a lot better than just shooting.

"Only the top forty-six will advance to the next round, but don't be too let down if you didn't make the cut. We've prepared other opportunities for you to shine." She said as she then licked her lips. Yup, still a sadist as Uncle Shota described her. "Now the real fun is about to begin. The chance to fully move into the limelight! Give it your best!" As soon as she cracked her whip, the hologram changed to the usual slot machine format for when it determined the Obstacle Course. Unlike last time though, I was ready for what came my way. "Let's see what we have in-store for you next. Will your wildest fantasies come to life? What could it be? The waiting is torture! Prepare yourselves... For this!" She waved her hand towards the screen as it stopped, revealing our next event to be a Cavalry Battle.

"Cavalry Battle? I'm terrible at those..." Denki complained, but I sympathized with him. I was only good as a horse, nothing else anytime I did do a Cavalry Battle.

"Even more it's not an individual event. I wonder how they'll split us up." Tsuyu asked curiously as she did her usual thing and put her finger to her chin.

"Allow me to explain," Midnight said as she turned around to face the hologram, the name of the event turning into a picture of All Might being hoisted up by Present Mic and Thirteen. "The participants will form teams of two to four people as they see fit. It works as a typical playground game, but there is one difference. Each player has been assigned a point value based on the results of the obstacle course."

"Sort of like the Entrance Exams?" Hana said.

"Most likely," I answered. "Maybe it'll be done by the higher position you are the more you're worth?"

Everyone began talking amongst themselves about how it would work and the best teams to form, which seemed to infuriate Midnight. Ashido and Uraraka were about to agree with me as Midnight cracked her whip.

"Maybe you should shut and let _me_ explain things to you!" She adjusted her glasses and composed herself. "Now then the point assignment will go by increments of five starting from the bottom. For example, forty-sixth is worth five points, and forty-fifth is ten, and the point assignment assigned to First Place is..." The hologram changed back to the leaderboard with all of our names and pictures, along with our point values.

The hologram changed back to the leaderboard with all of our names and pictures, along with our point values. I looked to see I was worth six-hundred-fifteen points, and that Izuku was not going to have any sort of luck on his side for this. While he may have gotten First Place last time and won, it was against him now.

"Poor guy..." I said under my breath.

"Ten million!" Midnight shouted.

A solid ten million point was assigned to him. I looked over to see him quaking with fear as everyone else did as well. No one needed to say anything, we were all thinking the same thing. With how much he was worth, anyone could rise to the top in an instant.

The atmosphere had shifted to total hostility towards Izuku. No doubt that everyone would be after him in order to get that giant amount. Even if you were dead last like Aoyama, play your cards right and you'd get a golden ticket to the next round. That was the burden of being at the top. Everyone below you would make it their mission to undermine and find some way to get ahead of you no matter what.

"Now First-Years, these are the rules you will abide by!" She cracked her whip, switching the screen back to All Might being supported by Thirteen and Present Mic. "The game itself will last fifteen minutes. Individual point values will be added together to reach your team total. Everyone will know how much you're worth thanks to your headbands. Swipe as many headbands as you can to raise your team's score. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up, so the more you steal, the harder it'll be to manage them. And another thing. Even if your headband gets stolen or your team falls down, you can keep playing until times up!" The Heroine said with another crack of her small whip.

In hindsight, it sounded simple. Get together a team and get what headbands you could in order to guarantee a spot in the tournament. Yet unlike the usual Calvary Battles, this was one allowing us to use our Quirks or whatever tactics we have at our disposal. It was anyone's game right now.

"So if you lose your headband at the beginning you have more time to make up a plan," Ashido said, looking at me and then Tsuyu.

"I don't know Mina maybe we should wait and see how the teams turn out before we start strategizing." She pointed out.

"Yeah, we won't know for sure who will team up with who," I added in.

"This is going to be rough, you may use your Quirks as much as you like! But, there are still rules." Midnight pointed out. "Make a team fall on purpose and I'll slap you with a red card. Meaning... You'll be disqualified!" The screen once again changed to a timer with fifteen minutes on it. "Now, you've got fifteen minutes to build your teams. I recommend you get started!"

Soon as those words were said everyone began to talk amongst themselves. More than likely people were going to do one of two things. Either one, stick with people they knew the Quirks of and had classes with. Or two, team up with one of the big contenders against Izuku. Meaning either me, Todoroki, or Bakugo would be the best choices for those going with the second option.

Looking around I could see that Class 1-B was going with the first option. Then again from everything I'd seen, barely any of them had actively shown off their Quirks like we had. For someone like me, the majority of them were just a blank with endless opportunities of what they could do.

All of this thinking distracted me as someone tapped my shoulder. I whipped around and stumbled back a bit in surprise. Of all my bad habits, getting lost in thought was one of the top ones. That and my love for rock candy. Standing in front of me was both Hana and Ashido. Hana gave me a thumbs up. "Wanna team up Mason?" She asked me.

Hana gave me a thumbs-up. "Wanna team up Mason?" She asked me.

Seeing I didn't have anyone else actively asking me, I smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way. What about you Ashido?"

She touched her index fingers against one another, looking down embarrassed. "W-well it's not that I don't. I mean I do! It's just..." She pointed her fingers over at Bakugo, who had a number of people asking to be on his team.

Sighing I put my hand on her shoulder. "Go ahead Ashido. If you think you're gonna disappoint me by not teaming up with me, you're wrong. If you want to team up with Bakugo so you can get to the next round, go ahead. You just better not lose before we get to go against each other in the tournament." I said, putting on a serious face.

She was surprised at first, and then nodded and put on her own serious face. "Got it." I took my hand off her shoulder as she took a deep breath before heading off. "You two better make it as well. Got it?!" She shouted as she raced over to the crowd around Bakugo.

After seeing her run over I crossed my arms and cocked my head to the side. To be honest I was hoping for Ashido to be on our team, that way we could get some better mobility. Hana would be our rider since she was lighter than the rest of us, and I'd be the front with my earth manipulation to herd the other teams into single confrontations.

"I know it isn't any of my business, but you two look like you could use a little bit of help. Am I right?" An authoritative voice said.

I turned around to see a male student with red hair walk towards us, hands in his pockets. A bit behind him was a girl with shortcut blue hair, her hair tied in a long ponytail that was over her shoulder. The red-haired guy stuck out with his yellow eyes, that almost seemed to glow. His hair reminded me of blades that had been neatly combed and fused together.

The girl had her own features just as unique too. Othe than her light blue hair and long ponytail, along with her ruby-like eyes. She didn't have the usual features you'd see from an Asian. She had to be either from America like my mom, or from Europe.

"Chikara, you shouldn't ask like that. I get he placed fourth and all, but is it really a good idea to team up with them? He'll be one of the first people will go after." She asked, her voice having an accent to it.

The red-hair named Chikara took his left hand out and pointed at me. "Exactly. _He_ placed _fourth_. From what I heard, him, that Todoroki guy, Bakugo, and that Midoriya kid, were all neck and neck at the gate. He has to have _some_ skill to pull that off." His eyes widened as he made his way over to Hana. "Kennagasa! It's been so long since I've seen you!"

I wasn't sure if it was just me being overly perceptive, but it seemed like she tensed up a bit as Chikara walked over. Then again, if she knew him that meant we could possibly get a team together. Still, my body felt like I should keep an eye on him.

"It's only been a week." She said with a smile. "Now, you said we looked like we needed help? I'm guessing you meant you wanted to team up with us."

"Well, to be frank, yes." He said. "Midnight said teams of two to four right? Well with all of us we have four, and I'm guessing _he,_ " He pointed at me with his left index finger. "Is the man with the plan?"

She nodded and gestured her hand towards me. "Yes. This is Mason. He's been a good friend of mine." She said, her tone more... Formal than usual.

"Well, I guess skill attracts skill. Then again or you it's more of talent. Now Mason, what plan do you have other than Hana being the rider?" He said. I was surprised he had the same idea. Hana was shocked about being the rider more than anything.

"W-why am I-I the rider?" She said, her face red as a stop sign.

"Well... You're light and you have a lot faster reflexes than I do..." I admitted.

"Seems like a solid plan." The blue-haired girl said. "But first, maybe we should introduce ourselves. Otherwise, it'd be rude to continue talking with each other. I'll go first. My name is Kami Togatta. I'm in Class 1-B and my Quirk allows me to manipulate my own hair however I wish." She then gestured to Chikara with her hair pointing at him like it was some sort of blade.

He took a second before realizing what he was supposed to do. "Oh right!" He took his left fist and hit it against his chest. "Name's Kossetsu Chikara. Also in Class 1-B and my Quirk basically allows me to push things really hard."

"How hard?" I asked.

He took his left hand and aimed it open at the ground away from us. I then recoiled back as the area he aimed at was blasted with some sort of invisible force. Cracks had even formed on the ground from where it had made an impact. "That hard." He said with a cocky smile. "Now, what about you guys?"

With my left index finger, I pointed at the spot he had blasted, causing the cracks to fill with the dirt that had been blown away. "I'm Mason Ishi, Class 1-A, and I can manipulate anything mineral based telekinetically. Sand, dirt, stone... If it's a rock I can move it." I then held my hand out as a pile of dirt rose up into a staff. "That and I can make weapons." I let the staff sink back into the ground after I was done explaining. "You're up Hana."

She cleared her throat before speaking. "I'm Hanakabe Kennagasa, Class 1-A, and I can make barriers by causing air molecules to tighten up together. I can also put one on my sword to dull it so you won't get cut if I hit you. It basically becomes a very lightweight club." She said.

"Now with that out of the way," Toggata said. "Ishi was it?"

"No, just call me Mason. It's a lot easier for me to respond to." I explained.

She closed her eyes and gave a small bow. "My apologies." When she spoke, her accent seemed a lot more recognizable to me for a moment. "Mason, I'm guessing you have a plan with this information included?"

With a smile I got everyone close into a group huddle. "Originally I had planned on the team being just me and Hana by having her on my shoulders," Hana made a small, yet noticeably embarrassed squeal. "But now that we have a full team I got an entirely different plan based on my original."

"Okay. What do you have in mind Mason?" Chikara asked as he moved some of his red hair out of the way as it hung down.

"First we're going to..."

* * *

With the whole plan explained we went to our corner of the small chalked area that would be the Cavalry Battle's arena. I held my arms behind me to help support Hana as she tightened on the headband with our team's point value on it. Suro was in the back on the right, and Chikara on the right. Taking a deep breath I prepared myself for the Cavalry Battle.

Seeing we had time left, I had been able to come up with a basic plan, along with a few situational plans for when we fought against certain people. With our value of six-hundred-fifteen, we'd definitely be a target by a good few of the teams. The real target would be Izuku though, which helped with my plan.

Everyone would be distracted with getting the ten million it'd be easy for us to go after each of the smaller teams. Afterwards, we'd just have to be careful to not get our's taken.

"After fifteen minutes to pick teammates and talk strategy, thirteen cavalry teams are prepared to go head-to-head!" Present Mic said over the loudspeakers. "Come on everyone, get's your hands in the air! It's time for an arena pumping Battle Royale! Let me hear you SCREEEEEAM!"

"We all ready?" I asked as I adjusted my arms a little bit, being careful to not touch too much.

"Just give the word and I'll herd them in," Chikara said, his voice with a hint of sadism in it.

Togatta had her hair rise up from the tied down ponytail it had been in. "Right is nice and guarded."

"Hana, what about you?" I asked her.

She let out a long breath before speaking. "I'm ready." She said, the determination flowing out of her voice.

"Okay then, let's give it our all," I shouted.

"Okay all you First-Years, I hope you're happy with your chosen teams! Let's get this party started with one final countdown before the game starts. Three!"

As Present Mic began his countdown I prepared myself, my feet firm on the ground.

"Two! One!"

"Begin!" Shouted Midnight as she cracked her whip, signaling for the Cavalry battle to start.

Closing my eyes I began to move forward. We moved as a single unit as I used my Quirk to sense who's footsteps were where on the battle field. Just as I had planned, everyone was heading towards Izuku for the ten-million points.

"First step is Tetsutetsu, seven-hundred-five. Right?" Chikara asked.

"Correct," I said, keeping myself focused on who was approaching us. Panic took over as I found an area I couldn't sense anything in. It was like a giant empty hole had appeared. "Did someone just make a hole?" I asked.

"That's Juzo," Toggata said to me. "He softened the ground Midoriya's team was standing on. Is that a problem?"

"No, so long as I can beat him to the punch and throw up a few walls, we can eva- Left side!" I shouted as I picked up a team coming for us. Opening my eyes I could see it was the guy with the scale Quirk riding on someone from 1-B.

"Got it! Get ready to herd them in!" Chikara shouted as he took his left and caused them to be pushed back.

Slamming my foot down I caused the stone to circle around the two of us. From looking at them I could see they had a headband with around one-hundred-twenty-five points on it. The student acting as the horse seemed to have a mutation-type Quirk like Tsuyu or Shoji, making him look more beast-like.

"Have to admit this will be a challenge." The rider said.

"Togatta, you ready?" I asked.

"Wow! Barely two minutes in since we've started and it's already a total free for all!" Present Mic announced.

The two rushed at us, the beast-like horse running on all fours. I made the ground shoot up in front of us as a shield, only for them to dodge to the side.

"Shield!" I shouted.

Togatta formed her hair into a shield-like shape, making them ram right into it. We moved around as Hana took her hand, and swiped it as if she threw something. The ground had a split in it as if something had cut a line between us and them.

"My Quirk isn't just for defense," Hana said, her inner warrior showing. "It also makes for a good battering ram. Now charge! For victory!" She shouted with enthusiasm I'd never seen before.

"I love it when she gets like this!" Chikara said excitedly.

We did just as she said and charged at them. Once we were close enough I made the dirt fly up, creating the perfect smoke-screen as we ran by and out of the small ring as I made it crumble back into its natural state.

Hearing Hana not make any noise just as we established, I knew we had scored their headband from them. The only difficulty now was to evade them as they tried to get it back. I looked around, trying to single out any other two-man teams we could swipe headbands from. As of right now, we were at seven-hundred-forty points.

"Hey, you may want to look at the leaderboard," Hana said.

"Huh?" I said confused.

"Hold on here, this is an unexpected turn." Present Mic said, just as confused as I was. "Other than Midoriya and Hanakabe Class 1-A ain't doing so hot. Even Bakugo is losing!"

Looking up, I could see that Class B had the majority of the lead. I turned to Chikara, and he seemed just as stumped. The realization came into his eyes as he smiled as if he expected this to happen.

"Looks like he's making his move."

"What?" Hana exclaimed.

"We're sorry to deceive you, but Monoma, a student from our class, expected that they'd keep at least forty contestants for the next event," Togatta explained. She then sighed. "We didn't use our Quirks in excess so that way we could get info on you in order to see how strong you were."

"So your whole class was in on this?" I asked, trying to hold back my anger.

"No, but it was effective. Don't get us wrong though, we aren't gonna stab you in the back. Monoma can be... A bit self-absorbed I wanna say?" Chikara said.

"We don't like how he does things," Togatta said.

"Yeah! That. Now," Chikara looked at me with focused eyes. "Let's win this. We have Third Place, let's keep it that way." He suggested.

"Agreed," Hana said, speaking up. "Right now I think we should move the plan Mason made to the later stages."

"You mean-"

"Yes," I said, cutting off Chikara. "We focus less on smaller number teams, and we go straight for Second."

"But that's..." Togatta trailer off.

"Exactly." I smiled as I began to get us moving, the ground shifting around with each step I made. Anyone trying to get us from behind or the side would have a rough time with the small earthquake I was making. "We head right into the thick of it!"

As we made our way after them, some of the other teams did as well. Even with the shifting, it was barely effective. Yet what frightened me, even more, was the sight I caught of Todoroki's team, with a metal spike coming out of Yaoyoruzo's arm, along with a giant sheet.

With how it dragged on the ground, and how the air filled with Ozone, I knew this wasn't going to go well for anyone. Feeling that same resistance that came with my Quirk against metal confirmed my suspicions. I began to rack my brain for ways to counter the inevitable that was coming, but none seemed to be quick enough. All I could do was shout.

"PREPARE YOURSELVES, THIS IS GONNA HURT!"

Just as I said that I felt my whole body rack in pain as I was electrocuted by Kaminari. No doubt this was his "Indiscriminate Shock" as he called it. He would let off a massive amount of electricity around himself, and the grounding pole Yaoyoruzo had made helped Todoroki avoid getting hit his teammate's own attack, along with the insulation sheet.

That wasn't bad enough as cold gripped us all as our feet were frozen to the ground.

"Sorry, but there's no other way!" Todoroki shouted as he left us in the dust as he headed after Izuku.

Me, Togatta, and Chikara all tried to get our feet out of the ice, hoping for at least one of us to get free. I thought about making the ground break up, but then again that was my last resort. What we needed was either heat or major physical... Power...

"Chikara, is it possible for you to push this of us?" I asked.

He tried to move his leg, and then looked up. "I could, but there's a chance of me hurting you guys as well. Just like Hana, it's like I'm shooting a battering ram at you. Last I checked, nobody liked a battering ram to the foot and broken-"

"Do it!" Hana said, her voice filled with murderous intent. "Do it or we're not going to proceed onto the next round... Todoroki took our damn six-hundred!" Hana shouted. Out of the whole time I've known her, she had never gotten this angry before.

"Fine!" I shouted. "I'll do this, but let's just hope the stadium doesn't break."

Closing my eyes once more, I focused entirely on the ground under the ice. If I knew anything it's that anything could break if you applied enough pressure on an object. The real question was would it work if the surface was pushing upwards.

Once I found the perfect spot I opened my eyes and forced the ground to shoot up like the stones were miniature bullets, ripping right through as if it was paper. The same was happening around us too.

"Mason... Are you okay?" Hana asked.

With an evil grin on my face, I looked at her. "Oh no, I'm just ready to _rock_ ," I said.

"Oh no."

"Why oh no?" Chikara asked as I cracked my neck. "Oh..."

With my adrenaline kicking in, I made the ground cover our feet, and then turn into boards similar to what I used in the obstacle course. My entire mind was alive with my new-found plan as I began to test out how we could move around with the most efficiency.

Seeing how much time was left on the clock, I smiled. "Listen, good and well team. I can maneuver us with quite a bit of speed, not fast enough to rival Iida, but definitely perfect with the amount of room we have and who still has headbands. I'm going to race us around the to those who are just getting out of the ice, and the over to Todoroki and Midoriya, got it?"

"Just don't overexert yourself, Mason," Hana said. She seemed worried, but not to a major extent.

"I'll be fine Hana. It's up to you three to get what headbands you can while I focus on moving us. Are you ready?"

"Go for it!" Hana said.

As soon as those words were said I began to move us as fast as I could. To some, it would seem like we were gliding on the ground as if it were the ocean. With my limited point of view, I couldn't see as we went for the first one who was in fourth place, Itsuka Kendo. We had already grabbed one, and with hers, we would have a solid hold in fourth.

Just out of my left eye I could see a huge fist coming my way. I pivoted, spinning us around as I made one of the riskiest moves I made yet. Lifting up my left foot, I made the stone board cover my whole bottom leg as my kick met her fist. Part of me was happy I could even get my leg up that high without straining it, and the other part feeling sorry as she gripped her hand in pain from hitting it against me.

"We got it!" Chikara said, as he put his hand out and pushed another attack from Kendo away from Hana as I moved them away.

"Team Bakugo and Kennagasa both have grabbed two headbands and move into Third and Fourth place! These final moments of the game have been full of switch ups! Oh, how to be young again!"

Once we were at a far corner of the field I felt the side effects of not only using my Quirk to control so many stone constructs but my lungs needing to breathe as well. It felt like they were burning with each breath I took in. Yet at the same time, each was one of relief as I saw we had made it.

"How- Many- Points?" I asked in between breaths.

"We have... Six-hundred-twenty. We're good."

"TIME'S UUUP!" Present Mic shouted over the speakers. I collapsed onto the ground, Hana sitting right behind me as we both hit the ground. "And with that, the second round is officially over. Now, let's take a look at who our top _five_ teams are!" Music began to play, and I just laid there on the ground, exhausted.

"Do you need help up?" Togatta asked me, her blue hair trailing down as she looked at me.

"No. I just want to feel the cool ground for a while," I replied drowsily. My rest didn't last long as I felt myself being pulled up. I opened my eyes to see it was Togatta using her hair to get me up on my feet.

"At least look respectable for the crowd. I'm sure you'll get to sleep during the half- What are you doing?" She asked, surprised and sounding slightly embarrassed.

I had closed my eyes and rested my head on my shoulder, which her hair happened to be holding me by. To be honest it was surprisingly soft, almost like a blanket of sorts. For politeness' sake, I tried my best to stay awake as the announced who got in what place, us being fourth.

"Is four your lottery number or something?" Chikara asked me.

"Hey, I'm not gonna complain. At least we made it to the next round. Even Izuku managed to." I said as we walked out to get lunch.

"You were amazing out there at the last second, I'll say that Mason," Hana said as she walked over to me. "Thank you for getting us this far. I need to ask you something important though."

"What's that?"

Hana looked down, and from her face, I could tell her usual shyness was back, yet there was a mix of worry in there as well. She grabbed my hand and led me over to a small area where no one was. It looked like one of the entrances to the locker room.

With how she was gripping my hand to the last second I was worried about her. She poked her head out and looked around before coming back in under the overhang that was offering shade. Taking her hand back she took a deep breath.

"Mason, I don't want to force you to do anything but... I feel you're the only one I can say anything to right now. I'll understand if you hate me for this, but I can't hide it anymore. I _need_ to tell you."

I nodded. "If you're nervous just calm-"

"I can't calm down!" She shouted. "If I could calm down I wouldn't bring you here or be asking you this!"

"Then ask me. I'm your friend, and I'm going to stand by your side no matter what. I won't hate you, I promise. Just take a deep breath and get it off your chest. What is it?"

She took a deep breath and then grabbed the hair over her right eye. For the first time since I met her that time I bumped into her, she was moving the piece of hair that covered her right eye from view. What was underneath, surprised me more than around her right eye were all too familiar scars.

The only one person I ever knew to have scars like that. She had been the only one to not care my dad was a Villain and get to know and hang out with me. That same girl had given me my reason to become a Hero. Here she was, still my friend after all those years. I had forgotten her, but she remembered me all too well.

"Long time no see, huh?" Hana said, tears welling up in her eyes.

I put my arms around her as all of these emotions began to overtake me. "I don't care. I can't believe that the one person who treated me like a person, has been by my side this entire time. And I'm an idiot for not seeing it."

"Only I get to call you an idiot... Idiot." She said as she cried.

We realized what we had been doing and backed up, both of us a bit embarrassed. Sure it had been a long time since we had seen each other, but then again, we hadn't been as mature as we are now. Discovering she was the same person who ended up making me got to U.A... Definitely had some emotion behind it.

I cleared my throat, trying to hide the blush trying to make itself known on my face. "You said you needed to talk to me about something Hana?"

She nodded. "I need help, and I feel you're the only one I can trust."

"Just tell me what needs to be done. You've been there for me, so now I'll be here for-"

"Please fake to be my boyfriend until the Festival is over!"

* * *

 **A/N:** **Well... That was certainly... Just(looks at script)... Oh. Oh... OH! Okay so don't worry, MasonXAshido is still a thing people! This is character development coming along and is just a step in the grand scheme of things that are to come. Don't get too excited you HanakabeXMason(Stonewall) shippers! Still, didn't know Hana had it in- Oh it says to fake. Well, this is gonna be a unique event to happen!** **On another note, would you guys be interested in me doing a double upload in the future? Depending on the reception and how quick it is, I could get one done for you guys. All you have to do is click on my name, and vote yes or no.** **Now, onto the reviews from the readers!**

 **61394: Mason got the Fourth place for the obstacle course, just to clear it up since you seemed confused.**

 **pokemonking0924: Mason's father is on a type of parole, I will say that. Let's just say a certain clever furball pulled some strings, and things are going to get interesting. Can't wait to see how you like the two OCs that were introduced in this chapter, and yes, Mason will be using his Quirk in some ways similar to earth bending from the Avatar series. I have a lot of ideas for his style when it comes to fighting.**

 **To the previews now comrades!**

 **"My father is Roadblock, a Pro Hero.**

 **"You don't have a choice."**

 **"Sorry, but I'm withdrawing."**


	19. Chapter 19

Hearing those words coming out of Hana's mouth made me blink my eyes a few times in disbelief. Did she just ask me that question? I was both confused, and also a bit flattered at the same time. Still, right now wasn't the time for either of those.

"What do you mean by 'fake'? Does this have to do with that Chikara guy-"

"Yes. I-It d-does." Hana said cutting me off. She stood up straight from her bow, and leaned against the wall, touching her index finger's against one another, the blush all too apparent on her face. "Should I explain?" She asked, looking down at the ground.

"Yeah, please do," I asked.

"To put it simple Chikara is my..." She then muttered something under her breath. I leaned in closer to hear. "He's my fiance!" She shouted, killing my ear. I stepped back and held it as the pain died down.

"Okay, I'm gonna need a lot more if that's what's going on..." I said. If what she had said was true, then a lot must have happened from the time when we were in middle school. Suddenly I remembered how she always took a limo to school and how the driver always looked kind of... Butler-ish.

"My father is Roadblock, a Pro Hero. When I was a little kid he was always out working, so I guess you could say my mom was the only parent really in my life, but he was a still a good father though. Anytime he had off he'd spend with us. Things changed though when my mom died." She took her hands, making them into fists at her sides. "We hadn't known at the time, but there had been a bank robbery happening on the street we had been driving down. There had been a falling out, and one of them had a Quirk that made the building fall apart. One of the pieces of debris ended up hitting our car, and... You can guess the rest."

"Your mom died, and you got those scars around your eye?" I asked, trying to keep calm. The fact that she had talked about a bank robbery, the members having a falling out, and the building falling apart. Even more, that single name of Roadblock...

"It had crushed the car, and apparently the glass and metal had gone everywhere. The doctors said that she had died in an instant and that these scars were a result of the glass going everywhere when the rubble hit. My mom was the only one really there for me, and she was gone in an instant. I was glad my dad had arrested the man who did it. Even now, I still remember his name. 'Terrarizer'." My blood ran cold at the mention of the name the media had given my dad.

All this time, Hana had been the one to tell me not to worry about what people thought of me because my dad was a Villain. Yet right here she was filled with anger towards him. My own dad had been the reason her mom died, in a twisted series of events. Would she turn on me if I told her that Terrarizer was my dad, and me his son? I stayed quiet and hoped the guilt wasn't showing on my face as she continued to speak.

"Because of this, my dad had me change my name and sent me to a different school in order to 'protect' me. Each day felt like we were growing farther and farther apart from being what family we had left." She then laughed, a smile returning to her face. "It was surprising when people weren't talking about the girl with scars all over her eye. Instead, it was a kid whose father was some Villain, and they treated him like the plague. They all hated him, he even got into fights more than the upperclassmen. I was surprised to see he was nicer than I could ever imagine, and he rubbed off of me a little." She looked up with a smug smile on her face. "Sound familiar?"

I laughed, trying to get the stress out of my body. "You got me there. I didn't get into _that_ many fights. Did I?"

"You can't even remember?" She said with a laugh. "You were the first friend I made."

"And you mine," I replied. "We both kinda helped each other get through some hard times huh?"

"We did. It was sad after that incident when those kids who bullied you all the time messed up, huh? I was mad at myself for having to rely on my father to help you out of that."

"Wait, so you had your dad pull strings even though they had a knife on them?"

She nodded. "I did. I didn't want you to get expelled just because you were doing the right thing and giving them what they deserved. If you're having doubts though, screw them. You're you, and always will be."

We both cracked up a little bit. "To think that's what made me choose to be a hero," I said, thinking about the first time Hana had said that to me.

"It was?" She asked, visibly surprised. "I guess I'm responsible for us being here then..."

"Don't act like it's a bad thing! You gave me a purpose, and I'd like to thank you for that. Which is why I'm going to help you. Now, where were we?"

She cleared her throat. "Right. After the incident with those students, my dad thought it'd be best if I was arranged to marry someone. There was an agreement though. He'd let me got to whatever Hero Academy I chose, and if I happened to find somebody there, I wouldn't have to go through with the arranged marriage. I didn't expect Chikara to be here though, of all the schools in this country he just had to go to this one! He's such a pain in the ass!" She said angrily. "I can't stand him and how he acts all overly friendly. My dad could've picked someone better than him!"

"Why would he arrange a marriage? I know it isn't really my place, but why?" I asked her.

She looked away, out towards the sunlight. "The Kennagasa family had a special gene in their DNA when it comes to Quirks. Children have a one-hundred percent chance of inheriting our Quirk, or the other parent's Quirk. No child has ever been Quirkless. My dad is very proud of this heritage, and because of the reliability of a child having the same Quirk, we've built martial arts around it as well. He wants to make sure it doesn't die out and continues to go on. Just like him, I'm an only child, and he's already declared he won't remarry, and I respect him for that." She put her left fist on her chest and closed her eyes. "I just want to be my own person. All I've been seen as is his daughter and the next head, not as myself. That's why I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend, at least until the Festival is over. That way Chikara can leave me alone, and my dad can see I'm doing just fine without needing an arranged marriage. Like I said though, I'll understand if you don't-"

"I'll do it."

She looked up at me, surprised to hear me say it. So was I a little. "What?"

"I said," As I crossed my arms and gave her a knowing look. "I'll do it. You're my friend, and it seems we both have dad issues. Plus it'd knock Chikara down a peg or two as well." I took my right hand and scratched the back of my head. "Now, how are we going to explain this to everyone afterward?"

"You mean Ashido don't you?" She said with a smug smile on her face.

Now it was my turn to to get embarrassed. "We're just good friends!"

* * *

There was relief in my stomach as I ate the curry Lunch Rush was a specialist at. Hana sat right across from me, her eye back over her right eye. With all she'd been through, I could see why she always kept it covered. I didn't want to be rude, but the scars were definitely deep.

All around her right eye you could see multiple scratches like it was some twisted tic-tac-toe board. It was a unique pattern that had been burned into my mind when I first met her in middle school. Back then she had gone under a different name though, which explained why I didn't recognize her the day I bumped into her. It did explain why she seemed familiar to me whenever we talked though, that and her warrior-like attitude she got into now and then.

Looking back at it I felt like an idiot for not recognizing the hints. Same green eyes, smooth, silky black hair, and how only her right eye was ever covered. Even during training when I had got close she deliberate tried to distance herself from me and her right eye.

 _The real issue is how exactly should we act since we're pretending to be a couple so Chikara will screw off..._

A swift flick to my forehead snapped me out of my thoughts. "Are you listening, Mason?"

I looked up after rubbing the spot on my forehead she flicked. Was she... Pouting? To be honest either the heat of the curry was getting to me, or the fact that in middle school Hana had been more... Well, she wasn't afraid to break a couple bones if she had to. "Sorry, I haven't gotten to eat yet, and all of that running in the first round didn't help."

With a sigh, she continued to talk. "I was going over how we can make it subtle to everyone, but convincing enough Chikara and my father get the message. There are only three problems though." She admitted, defeat in her voice.

"I'm guessing one is Ashido, and the other two are...?"

She held up two fingers. "Tsuyu with how blunt and observant she is, and Iida. He's a nice guy, but I feel he'd have strong feelings about two of his classmates dating. Worst comes to worst, we explain to everyone tomorrow it was an act to get Chikara off my back and you were the only one there at the time."

After I swallowed another spoonful of curry I nodded. "Sounds good. We have the plan, dangers we may encounter, and an out clause. Everything a good lie needs. What if your dad tries inviting me to dinner or something though? You said the loophole in this arranged marriage is if you can find a guy to settle down with before you graduate, right? No doubt he'll get curious about me since I also beat up those guys who threatened you."

"We'll-" She was interrupted by a yawn, rubbing her eyes before speaking again. "Sorry about that. It's just been a bit of an emotional day with all this. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now-" Without warning, she casually got up and sat next to me, putting her head on my shoulder and closing her eyes. "Just follow my lead."

"You don't have a choice, you're gonna have to lead. My knowledge of this kind of thing is limited to books and what I've seen people do out in public or school." As I was talking I a caught of glimpse of Chikara looking over at us, his jaw dropped in surprise.

 _Should I screw with him? I really wanna screw with him._ Going along with my thoughts, I took my left arm and put it around Hana, pulling her in close. It was worth it with how even more shock was written on his face than before. This was as far as I was going to go, though. Any more and it could get... Very irrational. That reaction was well worth it as I saw Chikara hurry away, looking back over at us every few seconds.

"Kennagasa we were looking for- Oh my." I heard Yaoyorozu say. We both looked to see the Student Deputy with her hand over her mouth, Jiro surprised, and Uraraka seeming a bit too happy. Yaoyorozu turned around, putting her back to us. "Sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to let you know that apparently we're supposed to be participating in a cheer battle between the other courses, but I can see you're a little preoccupied... Just... Make sure to come to the locker room before the recreational events start..."

"I knew you two got along, but this is... Still surprising." Jiro said, still surprised.

Uraraka smiled. "I don't know, I think they're kinda cute together. They're perfect. Anyhow, let's leave them to have some time before the recreational events, right Jiro? Let's go find everyone else!" She said while partly dragging an all too shocked Jiro.

After they left Hana looked up at me, and laughed. "Well, seems we'll have some explaining to do, huh?"

"Yup. Chikara was looking over, and I kinda wanted to screw with him..." I said as I scratched my head seeing that this was definitely going to bite me in the ass later on.

"So that's why you pulled me in..." She said while her cheeks grew red. "I will admit, you make a good pillow. I think I drifted off a bit until Yaoyorozu arrived. Also," She scooted over and looked at me confused. "What exactly is a cheer battle?"

* * *

After lunch, we went back into the stadium and waited for the recreational events that were going to be announced. Soon as we and the other courses entered were met with Present Mic's commentary on the next events.

"Get those foam fingers in the air! It's almost time for the last rouuuund! But before that, good news for everyone who didn't make the finals! Since this _is_ a Sports Festival, we've prepared some fun side-games everyone can participate in! We even brought in cheerleaders from America to get your blood pumping and- Hold up. Looks like Class 1-A is going full-on fanservice!"

It was then I looked over to my left to see the girls from our class in the exact same orange, green, and white U.A. cheerleader uniforms the ones from America were wearing. Unlike the other guys, I had heard ahead of time they had been planning this.

Yet wasn't is supposed to be a cheer _battle_? From the sounds of it, it seemed like the other girls from the other courses would be in similar outfits, yet only the girls from our class were. Those being Toru, Jiro, Tsuyu, Uraraka, Yaoyorozu and... Ahsido and Hana. I tried my best to not directly stare, yet it was strange they were the only ones wearing the outfits.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Denki and Mineta both giving each other thumbs up, all too proud of their accomplishment. Yaoyorozu took notice of it too, shouting with her voice showing she was anything but amused. Neither was I.

"WHAT!? You tricked us? You're gonna regret this!" She yelled.

I made my way over, making sure the two heard the cracking of my knuckles. With my hands, I placed them on their heads and began to apply pressure. They both tensed up and began to make sounds of discomfort.

"Hey, m-man... Don't do anyth-thing hasty! It was just a joke! Mineta came up with the idea!" Denki said, quickly ratting out the short student.

"Listen I am very, very conflicted about my feelings right now with this whole situation," I admitted, hostility in my voice. "Just know if this happens again I will not be so conflicted on whether or not to restrain you using the ground!"

"You didn't say you didn't like it though..." Mineta tried to say quietly. I picked him up by his head, causing him to frantically move his legs about as they left the ground. "Sorry! I promise I won't do it ever again please don't hurt me!"

"Good. Now, try to enjoy the Festival, and stop being a damn pervert! For our sakes at least!"

"You mean Hana Don't you?" Denki remarked, a knowing look on his face.

"Don't push it Sparky."

"Got it." He said, his eyes filled with both fear and respect.

"Now, have fun competing in these little side games, everyone!" Present Mic said. "After they're over, the twenty students on the top five teams will be duking it out one-on-one in a tournament-style fighting competition! I promise you're not gonna want to miss these epic mashups."

"Aw yeah, finally getting the chance to show what we're made of. I've watched these finals every year and now I'm actually in them!" Kirishima said, excitement in his eyes. Seems he had a good reason for being pumped over the past few weeks.

"So wait, is it always a tournament?" Ashido asked.

Hana nodded, and Sero explained. "The Final's always a one-on-one competition, but they switch it up every time. Last year it was a foam sword-fighting match." He then turned to look at Hana. "You'd probably have the advantage against us if that was the case this year Kennagasa, huh?"

She hid her face behind the pom-poms she had. "I-I'm not that good... Mason is good at fighting as well."

I scratched my head. "Thanks for that, though I'm more of a spear and staff guy, not swords," I said humorously.

"I'd think you'd still do great, anyways wonder who we'll be up against in the first round," Ashido said, the cheerleading outfit she was wearing definitely not helping me keep my cool. Why did those two have to be wearing them?! This wasn't helping me stay calm one bit before we'd be hitting knuckles against one another!

"Come closer and draw lots to see who you're up against, and enjoy the pleasure of the recreational games before we start." Midnight said over the microphone, holding a box that I assumed had pieces of paper with each of our names on it. "The twenty finalist have the option to participate in the activities or sit them out to prepare for battle. I'm sure you all want to conserve your stamina. I'll start with the first place team." She began to make her way over to Todoroki when Oijiro raised his hand.

"Um, excuse me." He said with all of our eyes focused on him. To me, he seemed nervous for some reason. "Sorry, but I'm withdrawing."

* * *

 **A/N: And that seems like a good place to cut that chapter at. Seriously, there's just too many good moments that sometimes I need to stop myself from writing them down before we end up with four 5000 word chapter in a row. Don't get me wrong, I like giving you guys some lengthy chapters, but I'm sure you guys also like some short and sweet ones as well. That and with school I've been trying to crack down on getting work down before working on new chapters, so sorry for the late uploads lately. I think this is the second one I'vet gotten done shortly after Chapter 17's upload as well. Also, that moment was just too good, a perfect cliffhanger moment in my opinion. Now, to the reviews from the readers!**

 **pokemonking0924: Glad to see Chikara and Togatta gave you that impression, as for what happens with Mason's and Hana's reunion, oh boy it's gonna be good! Lots of backstory on her coming up for Hana! Of course, the whole "fake" boyfriend plot is going to be quite funny in some ways, including the cheerleader incident as well. And to answer, yes I do indeed have Hero names picked out for them, it's all a matter now of if they can live up to those names.**

 **Raequan Erivin: Not quite sure on that. His Quirk _is_ Earth Manipulation, but it's not _exactly_ like Earth Bending where there are the subtypes like how Fire also has Lightning and Water has Blood. Though Magma is composed of molten rock, so who knows? Maybe he will one day.**

 **Now to next weeks preview! Plus Ultra!**

 **"You're making way too much of this!"**

 **"Hot damn your mother wasn't kidding when she said you had a girlfriend."**

 **"Wha- What's the dealio here?! This is just the first match, and it's already starting out with a bang!"**

 **Time for some father time, and for the Finals to begin! See ya next week people!**


	20. Chapter 20

All of us in Class 1-A turned around as we heard the words leave Ojiro's mouth. Why would someone skilled like him want to drop out? By no means was he weak when it came to his Quirk or his combat skills. Hell, other than Hana he was the only one I felt was a good match for me to spar against. The concern I had for him wasn't just for a classmate, but as a friend as well.

"Ojiro, no way," Izuku said, disbelief in his voice.

"But this is a rare chance for you to get scouted..." Iida remarked.

The blonde haired boy brought his hand down. "It just wouldn't be right. I barely remember anything from the Cavalry Battle until the very end of it. I... Think it was that guys Quirk..."

I was stunned when he said that. There had been times when I lose track of myself sure when in a competition or when I forgot things like Hana's voice when we were in Middle School, yeah. But for someone to completely erase the memories of what he did for a whole near fifteen minutes... It was terrifying, not to mention worrying.

"I know this a great opportunity," He said as he made a fist close to his chest. "I wish I could take advantage of it but my conscience won't let me."

"Just think about this-"

"I have, okay!?" Ojior shouted. "Everyone gave their all in round two, but I was just someone's puppet." His face tightened into a grimace. "No way. I don't want to advance if I don't even know how I got here. It wouldn't be fair."

"You're making way too much of this! Just kill it in the Finals and prove you should be here!" Hagakure said, obviously trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah! What she said. I didn't do much in the battle either." Ashido added in.

Ojiro put his hand over his face, the distress showed through his body. "That's not it. We're talking about my pride here. I refuse to give that up! Also... Why are the girls all dressed as cheerleaders?" He asked, catching them off guard as they looked away in embarrassment.

"Nirengenki Shota, from Class 1-B." Said a short gray-haired student. Height wise he was a bit taller than Mineta, most of us having a good head more on him. "I think I should withdraw for the exact same reason. Regardless of how strong I am, this isn't how I wanted to get here!" He looked up at Midnight, his hand made into a fist. "It would go against the values of the Festival to advance without earning my spot!"

Everything took a drastic turn extremely quick. I looked at Izuku, seeing he was doing what I was as well- Looking out for who could potentially have a Quirk that could erase someone's memories. Or in the most extreme case, mind control. With the commotion of finding a team and trying to advance, I didn't have time to memorize who was on what team.

Quietly we waited for Midnight's decision. Two students had just withdrawn after all. No doubt as umpire she was thinking of the effects of letting it pass, or not. As the umpire, all decisions along these lines were officially up to her.

"This sort of talk is incredibly naive my boys." She said as she rose her whip, and then cracked it with a smile on her face. "That turns me on! Shoda, Ojiro, you're withdrawn!"

My draw dropped as she admitted that it... Turned her on?! I was beginning to understand Uncle Shota when he said Midnight had particular tastes. My only concern was if she was like this back in their younger days...

"Now let's see... We'll have to move up two students from the sixth place Cavalry team so we have enough contestants."

"Now hold on, if anyone deserves it it's team Kendo! Right?" I heard Tetsutetsu shout.

"We both know that isn't true. Team Kennagasa got us and we barely did much anyway, girls?" The girls around the orange haired girl nodded. "You guys deserve it, you kept on fighting till the end."

"Kendo..."

"It's fair, don't think otherwise."

"Seriously you guys..." He said as he clenched his fist. I knew all too well from reading books the emotions he was going through. Nothing better than straight up generosity and faith in your friends. "THAAAAAAANK YOUUUUUUU!"

After their team had discussed quickly, it seemed Tetsutestu and the vine-headed girl from his team would be taking Ojiro and Shoda's places."And thus Tetsutestsu and Shiozaki have advanced to the Final! Take a look at the bracket dears, these are your opponents!"

With another crack of her whip, the screen changed from the names being question marks to each of us twenty who were progressing onwards. At the end was all four of us who were on team Kennagasa. I and Togatta would be in the ninth match, meanwhile, Hana and Chikara were the tenths. Depending on how things went, we'd probably get to face each other.

Suddenly I felt an itch on my shoulder. I went to scratch it, only to find it was actually... Soft. Just like silk...

"See you in the ninth round, Ishi. Hope you won't get too distracted by my hair." I heard Togatta say. Her voice just like her hair was like silk. Her hair retracted from my shoulder, and back to herself.

Her blue hair was definitely a sight to behold. It was sapphire colored, and the amount of it she had was staggering. It had to be for her Quirk to work. From what I had seen she was able to control her hair, even harden it to a point some attacks bounced right off.

Getting a closer look at her she didn't really have any Asian features. She had a sort of regal presence to her, yet her flirting gave me a different vibe. No doubt she'd take me out quicker than "can I take you out for dinner?".

"Kinda hard when you don't see someone from Europe a lot. Closest I've seen is my own mom, Native American." I remarked.

Curiosity sparked in her red eyes. "America? Like Pony? So are you a transfer like her and Rin?"

"Uh, no. I was born here in Japan. My mom is from America, but my dad is Japanese."

"Interesting. Have to say your skin is certainly... Tanned to my liking." She said as she inched closer. Hana ran over, grabbing my right arm with her own.

"There you are! Now come on, you should rest before you the tournament starts." Hana said, acting a little bit too friendly. I wasn't complaining, it was just... My arm was not in the best place right now.

"Sleep is always good," I said, seeing that she wanted me away from Togatta.

"Okay! Let's press pause for a momentary interlude! Before the battles begin, it's time for some pulse-pounding side-games!"

* * *

Just like she said, I was definitely able to get a bit of sleep. Though it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Both of our faces were red as I rested my head on her lap. This was not a single bit close to what I thought she had in mind. Then again, we were faking to be a couple in case her father came around.

It still didn't make this any less awkward. To be honest, it was comfortable though. Thankfully Hana had changed back into her gym uniform instead of staying in the cheerleader outfit.

"Hana I know why we're doing this... But this isn't going to help me sleep exactly..."

"Well, it kills two birds with one stone. My father sees I'm doing fine, and Chikara will stop bugging me. That and I kinda en-"

"MAAAAASOOOOON! MASON! SON!"

I froze up as I heard my dad's familiar voice. I attempted to sit up, only to see my dad stop in his tracks with his mouth open in surprise. "Hot damn your mother wasn't kidding when she said you had a girlfriend. I thought she was just teasing you as usual."

"Not sure if I should be sad you said that or happy you know when mom's teasing me..." I said gloomily.

"I didn't mean it like that! Anyhow," He sat down on the other bench, letting out a yawn. "Might as well introduce me to your friend! And we... Kinda have some catching up to do, don't we?"

I sat up as Hana moved over to let us have some room. "Yeah, we do. More importantly... HOW THE HELL ARE YOU OUT OF JAIL!?" I shouted.

"So wait he is your dad? As in the dad, that's-"

Turning around I nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Villain dad! The one who should be in jail! So unless you broke out or-"

"Hell no! That damn furball beat me to the fucking punch... Fricking little..." My dad began to mutter off, a little bit sour about the subject apparently.

"Furball?" Hana said with her finger to her chin. "Oh! Principal Nezu! Wait, what does he have to do with-"

"Alright, I'll explain it the Ishi way!" My dad said putting his hands out, the ground lightly moving. He then cautiously put them down. "Every damn time... Anyhow, here's the short version- Wasn't at all planning to break out to see my son win this thing, when your principal arrives at damn three in the morning, saying he wants to talk with me. So I'm brought down, told about the USJ incident which I was damn furious about, and that he had an offer for me. Because of my, um... Unique background, he decided to have them release me, on one condition. One I can't say anything about until the situation arises. All that matter though," He put his arm on my shoulder and lightly shook it. "It's because of him we can be... A family again. And I'm not going to fuck this up. I promise."

I looked at my dad's brown eyes. Everything about him right now was telling me he cared. Part of me felt like a happy little kid again. Yet I had still gone through so much over the past five years. We both understood that. After all, all of us thought we wouldn't ever get to have a moment without bars between us.

Next time I happened to meet our Principal, I'd make sure to thank him for this. Behind me I noticed Hana trying not to cry.

"So sweet..." She said while trying her best not to cry. "Guess it's a bit weird with me being here, huh? You two are having a bonding moment and I'm crying like it's some TV drama... I'm so sorry!" She said with a quick bow.

"No Hana it's fine! No need to apologize!" I said trying to comfort her. "I wouldn't blame ya. It's been a long time since I've gotten to talk to my dad like this."

"Okay, Mason." She brushed the tears from her eyes before looking at my dad. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Ishi. I can see where Mason gets his Japanese from. My names is Hanakabe Kennagasa I'm his-"

"Girlfriend, I know. Don't feel intimidated or the need to be formal, I'm a human being just like yourself." My dad said in a reassuring tone. "Name's Jishin Ishi, father of this damn powerhouse right here." He ruffled my hair a bit laughing. "Just hope he's been treating you well. You have, right son?"

"Of course I have! What kind of man would I be?" I asked him as he stared me down.

"Hey now!" He put his hands up in defense. "I'm just checking. I don't know how you treat girls, and from how your mother says it you sound like some playboy. What was the name of the girl who went to the mall with... Ashina? Ashino? Ashido, that's what it was! Just making sure my son doesn't mess up. The worst thing you can do is have a girl mad at you, ask your uncle. I have made a lot of girls mad at me... A lot... Of girls..." He looked off into the distance, guilt all over his face. He shook his head and came back to reality. "Now, was I interrupting something? It seemed you two were having a moment, his head on your lap and all Hanakabe."

"No, not at all! I was just trying to help him get some rest before the Finals start and-" She covered her face as she became flustered, making a small squealing sound.

Stop being so adorable damn it! Why aren't you the warrior you always are in combat?! WHY?! I screamed to myself in my head. Instead of saying it, I put my arm around her. "It's okay, you had good intentions, Hana."

She let out another squeal of embarrassment as she buried her head in my shoulder.

"Isn't she more... You know? Swing-swing?" My dad said as he moved his arms like he was swinging a sword.

"Yeah, it's a situational thing. Anything outside of combat she's a bit shyer and well... This."

"You think it's adorable don't you?"

The red crept my face from zero to sixty in a second. "DAD!"

"You didn't say no!" He remarked, laughing his usual deep laugh. "You thought your mother was terrible when she teased you about girls! But no, it was me, Jishin Ishi! HAHAHA!"

"Dad... Please settle down on the references..."

"Sorry. It's just the kind of guy I am. Now I need to know. How good of a fighter is my son? It's been a while since I've gotten to see him in action, or train with him for that matter."

"You trained him?" Hana asked, incredibly curious.

"I certainly did, me and Shota both. I helped more with his Quirk. Shota was more of a hands-on guy. Every punch and hand movement to help him control his Quirk better were all from us two teaching him."

"Well, he had a great teacher. Other than a few people in Class, he's the only match for me when it comes to hand-to-hand combat or when he uses weapons. I wouldn't have it any other either. He's a great friend to have for a while now."

My dad sighed and smiled. "Thank you. I'm guessing Mason has told about my... Circumstances?"

"All Mason has told me is that you committed a crime getting you labeled as a Villain, and you've been in jail for the past five years. That and Mason's been constantly in the shadow of it, never really being able to make friends. But," She grabbed my hand, surprising me a little bit. "What someone's parents have done, doesn't make the child them. Mason is his own person, and I can see that. Just because you're a Villain doesn't mean he is. He's kind, funny, helpful, and always does what it takes to help others. He's the Mason I'm glad to know and be around."

"Once again, thank you Hanakabe. Words can't express how thankful I am to you for being by my son's side. Now, I feel it's time I let you kids get back to it. You might say otherwise," He got up and winked. "But I know when a couple of lovebirds need some time alone. I was just like that when I was Mason's age. Now," He began to walk off, waving his hand as his back was to us. "Knock them Finals out of the park! Show them that no matter what, you are your own person Mason!"

After he was out of sight, I felt Hana tighten her hand around mine. Concerned I turned around to see her looking down, sadness plastered on her face. I tightened mine, showing sympathy.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Yeah, it's just... Seeing you both talking to each other like that... It reminded me of how everything used to be for me before that day." She looked up, her face softening into a smile. "Your dad seems great though. Even though so much has happened, you two seem to get along."

I nodded in agreement. "We do. As a family, we understand things had to be done. There were consequences because of it, but we get through them. That's the Ishi family way. We always find a way to get past an obstacle, whether smashing it down or jumping over it. By the way, is that offer still up?"

"What off- Mason you're terrible!" She covered her mouth as she laughed.

"What? I'm not gonna lie, your lap is comfortable!" We both laughed out loud until our sides began to hurt. "Speaking of obstacles, having to tell everyone we had to fake this isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"No doubt we'll be prodded now and then about this. But, you're a great friend for doing this. Thank you, Mason." She said, her voice trying to show how sincere she was as possible.

"No problem Hana."

* * *

After the recreational activities were finished, we all got into the stadium where special seats for each of the classes had been set up. Even with how the minutes passed by and we were all situated, I could feel everyone's eyes on me and Hana.

The worst was Ashido as she smugly smiled at me and Hana so close to each other. Just Hana had said Iida definitely had something to say about it. He wasn't disappointed like I thought he would but more concerned with what would happen if we ended meeting each other in the second round.

Sero, Denki, and Kirishima were the most vocal about it when they saw us walk in first holding hands.

"Haha! I was right! You both owe me a drink, guys!" Kirishima shouted as Denki and Sero looked down in defeat.

"I thought Jiro was just kidding... Should've known better..." Denki said.

"Shouldn't have bet against him... Knew they were too friendly with one another..." Sero muttered as he sat down.

"Come on guys don't be down! Izuku's match is starting!" Uraraka shouted with excitement.

Looking down I could see that the area where the Cavalry Battle had been held was now covered by a giant arena. Flames shot up into the air, giving an all too cool effect as both contenders walked out of their respective entrances.

"All right audience! Let's cut to the good stuff and not delay these Finals any longer! Welcome our first fighters!" Present Mic announced as he popped up on the giant screen, quickly switching to a styled portrait showing the two contenders. On the left was Hitoshi Shinsou, the kid I remembered who had "declared war" who had blue hair. On the right was Izuku, looking as nervous as ever while Shinsou's showed him to be more laid back and calm. "Whoa, he looks kinda scared in that picture, doesn't he? It's Izuku Midoriya from the Hero Course, versus... Hitoshi Shinsou from General Studies, who hasn't really done anything to stand out yet. Now, the rules are simple! Immobilize your opponent or force them out of the riiiiing! You can also win by getting the person to cry, uncle! Bring on the injuries because we got our very own Recovery Girl on standby, so put your morals aside and get ready to play dirty! But no life-threatening crap folks, that's not allowed. Real Heroes use their powers to put Villains in jail, not kill them!"

A deep voice then spoke up, belonging to Cementoss. "I'll stop anyone who tries to get too rough."

Izuku and Shinsou both stepped up onto the arena, a small distance away from each other. From the looks of it, they were possibly ten to fifteen feet from one another. Knowing Izuku, he'd get in close with his fist. Right now, he'd have to wait and see what exactly Shinsou's Quirk even was. He must've been confident or good at hiding it for so long into the Tournament.

"Ready... BEGIN!" Present Mic shouted.

As soon as the words had left the radio host's mouth Izuku began moving towards Shinsou. His entire stride was filled with anger as he began to run at him. Just as fast he had run at the blue-haired student, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"GAAAAH! I warned him not to say anything!" Ojiro shouted as he put his hands behind his head.

"Wha- What's the dealio here?! This is just the first match, and it's already starting out with a bang!"

* * *

 **A/N: Come on, the episode ended with a cliffhanger so of course, the chapter is going to end with a cliffhanger! Again! Expect a lot of those with this arc especially, it's just one of those things where it happens right when things are getting good! And it _feels_ good too even though it's a cliffhanger! Now, to the reviews from you guys and gals!**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh the revelation when Mason's father is Terrarizer and all of that... Oh boy, that's gonna be a mess. Right now the awkward levels will be through the ROOF! But don't you worry, things are going to get... Interesting.**

 **Shogun of Shorrow: Thank you bud! I'll keep this up alright!**

 **61394: Yeah... Mason is going to be having to watch his step for quite the while now. Then again, that also gives some nice plot and tension!**

 **Now here's next week's preview! Enjoy!**

 **"C'mon Deku!"**

 **"Man she's good..."**

 **"You're going to sleep at a time like this?!"**


	21. Chapter 21

I was surprised by the total one-eighty the match had taken. From the look of things, I had thought Izuku would've taken Shinsou out in a second with his physical power. Instead, it seemed the match was about to be over before it even started.

Uraraka and Iida were both concerned as well, standing up with concern for their friend.

"Come on Deku!" Uraraka cheered.

"Why in the world isn't he moving?" Iida asked.

"The fight has just begun and Izuku Midoriya is... Completely frozen! Not moving a muscle!" Present Mic said in shock. "And what's with that look on his face? Could this be a Quirk at work?! Hitoshi Shinsou seems to have Izuku Midoriya completely stunned! He didn't stand out during the first rounds at all but it's possible Shinou's CRAZY powerful! Who could have imagined this turn of events? That's the festival for Ya!" He ended with a laugh.

To be honest I was filled with a mixture of emotions. Izuku had been anything short of about to give Shinsou a good slug to the face. Then in an instant, he had been stopped dead in his tracks, the guy not even lifting a finger.

It was terrifying. The realization that someone could have a Quirk powerful to the extent of stopping someone like that. Part of me felt it'd be great against Villains, but right here and now... This guy was going to be an obstacle greater than Hana, Bakugo, Todoroki, or Izuku. The handful of people I felt I'd have trouble fighting.

My eyes widened in extended fear as Izuku slowly turned around, and began to walk away.

"WHAAAAT!?" Present Mic screamed in surprise. "Midoriya's obeying him!"

"Oh no Deku, what are you doing?" Uraraka said, concern in her voice.

"He can't walk out of the ring! He'll lose the match if he does!" Iida pointed out, moving his hands frantically with just as much concern for him.

"Hitoshi Shinsou, his Quirk? Brainwashing! When an opponent answers his question, it flips a switch in their minds, forcing them to do whatever he says! Not every question does it though. He only Brainwashes when he wants to! Not very flashy, but looks like it enough to get the job done! No wonder he waited until the Final round!" Present Mic explained as Izku continued his way to exit the arena. Any more, and he'd be out.

Just a few more steps and he'd be out of bounds and eliminated from the Finals. The majority of us were concerned for him as it looked like the match was going to be over in an instant as he walked to his own defeat.

As if some outer force intervened, a giant blast of air went through the arena, right before Izuku was about to step over the line. His hand jerked upwards, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly. Concern turned into me getting up and cheering him on with Uraraka. This match was full of surprises, and it was only the first!

"What's this?! Midoriya stopped just in time!" Present Mic announced, the crowd shouting and cheering at the turn of events.

"That's the way to do it!" Iida said.

"Yeah! Now kick his ass and win this thing Midoriya!" I shouted.

The two contender stared each other down, Izuku cradling his arm. Most likely he used the pain he got from using his Quirk to snap himself out of it. He then charged at Shinsou, the blue-haired student seemingly trying to talk to Izuku as he got closer. Once close enough Izuku began to push Shinsou back, similar to how an American football player would tackle someone.

Being pushed back, Shinsou let loose a right hook at his face. Despite taking a hit to the face he continued to try and push him out, Shinsou punching his left hand and toss him aside to get free. The tables turned as Izuku was now about to be pushed out of the ring, only for him to do an all too familiar Judo throw as he grabbed him by the shirt and arm, and threw him down onto the floor, causing him to be out of bounds. Just like with the Hero-Villain training a when school started, he had used the same move he used on Bakugo on Shinsou.

"Shinsou is out of bounds! Midoriya moves on to the next match!" Midnight announced as she lifted her hand into the air, calling the victory.

"And with that expertly performed throw, we have our first victory of the Finals. Izuku Midoriyaaaa!" Present Mic shouted.

"That was so nerve-wracking!" Uraraka said as she sat down in relief.

"Turning the tables at the last moment, a classic Midoriya maneuver!" Iida added.

"Guy has a knack for it," I added in. "Always scaring us like that isn't good for our health you know!" I shouted at Izuku, making him turn around. I couldn't see from this far away, but no doubt he sorry about it.

"He did that shoulder throw on you too huh?" Denki said, teasing Bakugo.

"Shut your damn face Sparky," Bakugo replied.

"Oh yeaaaah! That was actually kind of a boring first match kids but both of you fought bravely! Let's show them some love everyone!" Present Mic asked, getting some claps from the crowd for the two students.

* * *

After some downtime for everyone to get ready, things continued on to the second match of the first round. The two challengers being Sero and Todoroki. It was definitely going to be interesting with Sero's tape, and Todoroki's ice and fire abilities.

"Enough with standing around! Look into the ring to see our next players!" Present Mic said as the screen showed the same stylized portraits, this time showing Todoroki and Sero on them. "He's got skills, but also some really creepy elbows. From the Hero Course, Hanta Serooo! Over here we got an early front-runner in the competition who's too strong for his own good. Someone who got into the Hero Course based on recommendations! It's Shoto Todoroki! And now let's get the second match of the Finals! Ready? Begin!"

At the sounds of Present Mic saying "begin", Sero immediately shot out tape from his elbows, restraining Todoroki. Snapping off the strand from his left, he took his right and dragged him across to throw him out of bounds.

"Before anything is happening Sero is about to throw him out of bounds! This is a real surprise opening from the underdog! Way to start strong Sero!"

Just as quick as Sero had gotten Todoroki, Todoroki turned the tables as he made a literal mountain out of ice. The air turned cold in an instant, those of us in the front row having to lean back at how close it was to us.

"Tell the truth Sero, can you move?" Midnight asked. From her tone of voice, it sounded like he wasn't in the most favorable spot.

"Are you kidding? Obviously not! I'm freezing!" He said loud enough for the microphone to pick up.

"That clears it. Todoroki wins and advances to the next round!" Midnight announced.

This match was much quicker than the first. I felt bad for whoever was going to have to melt all this ice since it would then be turned into water. Yet for some reason, I wondered why Todoroki had gone so far. Was he that set on getting to the Finals and winning? Or was there something else about it? Whatever the reason, these matches continued to show me that I'd have to be careful in these fights, or I'd be out before I even got a chance to fight back.

"Talk about giving Sero the cold shoulder," I said, trying to defuse the situation.

"Seriously!?" A few people said, groaning from the terrible pun.

"Hey, if it hurts it works."

"Shut up you lovable idiot," Hana said to me as she got closer to me. "And how is your skin still so warm? It's freezing!"

"I'm just hot blood-"

"Don't. Please don't." Ashido said, her hand covering her face, trying to not laugh. "Anymore and I think you'll kill my sides..."

While we waited for the ice to melt Hana desperately clung onto me, trying to 'keep warm' as she called it. It wasn't the first time someone said that about me though. Unlike most people I could wear a sweatshirt in the summer and not fry, or barely feel cold going outside. Yet for some reason people found my skin to be warm like a blanket fresh out of the dryer.

The whole time Hana was like this I could feel everyone staring at the both of us. I wasn't uncomfortable with it. It was the fact that we had planned to get by with the whole fake boyfriend-girlfriend thing until the end of the Festival, and for no one to be none the wiser.

Instead, it went in the total opposite direction of me trying to get a one-up on Chikara, and Mineta and Denki tricking the girls into wearing cheerleading uniforms. Now we'd have to wait until tomorrow to tell everyone that we were faking it! I felt bad though, not being able to tell Ashido about the whole plan. She was a close friend of mine, as well as Hana. No doubt she'd be angry we hadn't filled her in on the whole thing.

"Welcome back everyone, sorry for that long wait!" Present Mic said once all the ice had been cleared. "The insane amount of ice from the second match has finally been cleared though, so it's time to welcome our competitors! Even beautiful flowers have thorns! It's the assassin from Class 1-B, Ibara Shiozaki from the Hero Course! Versus! The boy with an electric personality, another hero in the making, Denki Kaminari!" Both walked to the center of the arena, the crowd cheering on as the excitement began to ramp up. "Keep those eyes peeled! I wanna see a super flashy battle this time-"

"Excuse me!" Shiozaki said, holding one hand up and the other over her heart. "Please pardon the interruption, I'm not sure exactly why you called me an assassin. I've come to the Festival in search of victory not to take my opponent's life. That wouldn't be in line with the values of a hero at all sir."

As she spoke I could see she had green hair and an almost saint-like appearance. From the way she talked she sounded like a sweet person, yet also familiar as well. It had me as I remembered during the obstacle race when I had felt something brush against me with my eyes closed.

She had said sorry, rather than taking advantage of me maneuvering with my eyes closed and nudging me into a landmine. From all that she seemed like one of those genuinely nice people who'd never do you wrong.

"Right, I'm sorry." Present Mic said apologizing.

"Gentleman, I didn't enter U.A. for selfish reasons, but for the salvation of others. It is my humble quest to spread true good across this world." She continued to say as she brought her hands together as if she was praying.

"Listen I said I was sorry! That was my bad okay?" Present Mic said, feeling guilty about it from the sounds of it.

"I thank you for your kind understanding." She said before bowing respectfully and heading to the center of the arena where Denki was standing.

"So, anyway, begin!"

With the start of the third match, Denki charged up electricity around himself, shooting it into the ground at Shiozaki. As it rushed towards her she turned around, her hair separating and growing into a giant barrier of vines that blocked the large blast coming at her. At the same time, the ground underneath Denki broke apart as a huge mass of vines wrapped around him, binding his arms and legs.

"He's immobilized! That's all folks, it was over in an instant!"

"The winner is Shiozaki, she advances on!" Midnight announced with a crack of her whip.

"Man she's good..." Jiro remarked.

"Guess he was right! That match really was over in just two seconds!" A blonde male student said as he peeked his head over the wall between the sections of seats. Just from the sound of his voice, he seemed like an asshole. "I wonder if his real Quirk is to tell the future! Wasn't Class 1-A supposed to so much better than us?" He said with a laugh. It was ended as he dropped down with a thud, a redheaded girl now peeking over.

"Sorry about him." She said apologizing.

Other than that Class B asshole, the only other thing going on was Izuku writing down notes and going into the endless mutterings of strategy. Being of the same mindset I could understand, but he really went at more than I did when thinking. I was surprised his pencil wasn't smoking with how fast he was writing.

"You okay Mason?" I heard Hana ask me.

I looked over to see her holding my arm, my hand shaking. Once I noticed I willed it to stop. "Yeah just... So many people I might end up fighting, it's a little nerve-wracking. Not too much, but still..."

"Hey, you'll do fine!" Ashido said, leaning her face in between us. "Just put your mind to it and I'm sure you'll win! We promised to face off against each other, remember you two?"

I and Hana both nodded. "Yeah," I said. "We did. Just hope I don't lose beforehand."

"Let's proceed to move on! Time for the fourth match!" Present Mic announced. Get ready to watch two new challengers duke it out! He's the kid with engines in his legs, Tenya Iida from the Hero Course, versus... A fully equipped gadget dynamo! The Support Course's Mei Hatsume!"

From the looks of it, this was going to be quite the interesting match. All that tension disappeared as Iida put on some strange device, with what seemed like counter-weights on it. I sighed as my expectations for the match were thrown out the window.

"Hero Course students can't use support gear unless they have to, and you didn't fill out any of the proper paperwork for that."

"What?!" Iida said to Midnight. "Aoyama got to wear his belt, so I thought it was fine!"

"He turned in the proper forms." Midnight stated.

Iida then bowed. "I apologize, ma'am! It's just that... My heart was moved by my opponent's sportsmanship. Even though she's from the Support Course, she wanted this to be as even a match as possible since she made it this far. To have a fair fight. She offered to give me this equipment, and I respect her integrity! That's why to honor her I would like to wear this gear!" He said, putting his hand over his heart.

My hand me my face as I sighed, knowing that Midnight was all too happy with how noble Iida had just acted. "I'll allow it!" She said after recomposing herself.

"Really?" Present Mic remarked, sounding surprised.

"I guess if it's in agreement everything is okay," Aizawa said. "right?"

"Well if everyone on the same page, let's begin the fourth match!" Present Mic announced

He raced towards the pink-haired girl stood there, and her voice was heard throughout the arena. "Bet you love how fast that gear makes you, huh Iida?"

"Hey now." Present Mic said, caught off guard.

"Is she wearing speakers?" Aizawa asked.

"Don't your legs feel lighter than usual?" Hatsume asked, and from the look of things I already knew how this was gonna go. No doubt that

No doubt that she had given Iida that gear in order to show off her inventions. Her tone of voice reminded me of someone showing off a new item or feature, highlighting the advantages of having it. All that Iida was now was a guinea pig to show off her equipment and how useful it was.

Seeing we were going to be here for a while, I leaned back and moved around to make myself comfortable. "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm gonna get some shuteye. Just make sure to wake me up when the next match starts."

"You're going to sleep at a time like this?!" Izuku exclaimed. "Is it by choice or is it that your Quirk is really tax-"

I put my hand up and I closed my eyes. "Not at all. My Quirk has different limits based on how I use it. When you've read a book already and happen to also be reading it in class, most people just do what they want seeing they know the answers to questions and how it ends. I already know how this match is gonna end, and Iida isn't going to be happy with it. Now good... Afternoon? Late morning? You get the idea." I said as I let myself drift off.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was a bit... Rough. Don't blame him though, I'd do the same thing. He won't be sleeping once Uraraka versus Bakugo comes around, that's for sure. Along with some very certain things that shall be happening soon... Muhahahahahaha! Let the games begin!**

 **61349: Yes, yes it is. Interrupting the romantic moments may be annoying, but boy does it pay out depending on the person.**

 **Shogun of Shorrow: I was kinda going for Mason's dad to have that cool and chill vibe Mason also has at times. He's basically an older Mason, in a way. Also, did you find the reference?**

 **pokemonking0924: I need to give the people who like Mason and Hana _some_ moments. That and it's all going to plan for further things that shall happen MUHAHAHA! Wow, I am really riding on these maniacal laughs. For the subject on how things shall develop between the Ishi and Kennagasa families, get ready for some real big complications and intrigue!**

 **Preview time!**

 **"How long was I out for?"**

 **"So, you're her 'champion' I take it?"**

 **"Time for the eighth match of the first round!"**

 **Time for things to get rolling people!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey, quick note guys. Do to some school stuff, I won't be able to upload as much as I have been. No clue on how long the gap between uploads will be, but most likely it'll go from once a week to once every other week. Once my schedule has been sorted I might be able to go back to the once a week format, but for now, I'll be uploading new chapters every other week. Now, enjoy the story guys and gals!**

* * *

Everything was all over the place as I felt myself mildly shaking about. With tired eyes I opened them, blinking a few times as they focused Hana's angered expression. I stretched my arms and body, letting out a tired yawn.

"How long was I out for?" I asked, still a bit drowsy.

"Jeez, I thought you were going to be sleeping until it's time for your match!" Hana said with a sigh. "It's been about ten minutes. Hatsume just forfeited after showing off all the gadgets she had, and Iida is well... Being Iida right now."

I nodded. "Thought that's what would happen. She just ended up using the poor guy. Good thing I fell asleep when I did..."

"No, it's not! It was so boring! How can you just fall asleep as easy as turning on a light switch?!" Hana said with a sad look on her face. "Ashido had to go get ready for her match, so I had no one to talk to. That and everyone's been looking over here at us..."

"To be fair," I put my hand behind my head. "This was what we planned," I whispered.

At the same level of whispering, she glared at me. "Well maybe if someone hadn't tried to get their money's worth from Chikara, this wouldn't be happening! Still," She returned her voice to normal. "I'm just glad you're awake. Ashido is up! Let's cheer her own!"

A smile came to my face as I looked down to see Ashido was facing Aoyama. I remembered the two had been on the same team for the battle training, so both more than likely had a grasp on the other's Quirk. Then again, I was more than aware of how Ashido could handle herself in a fight.

"Now, let's get started!" Present Mic said over the speakers. "Fifth match... Begin!"

Aoyama let loose a laser in Ashido's direction. It was surprising to see her dodge out of the way as she quickly began to slide across the ground using her acid. From the entrance exam, I remember her doing the same thing in order to move around quicker.

The game of cat and mouse continued as Ashido would move around while avoiding Aoyama's Navel Laser. With each shot evaded she continued to get closer and closer to the blonde haired boy. How fast her reflexes were was surprising.

Aoyama then seemed to hesitate for a second, Ashido shooting what seemed to be a small bit of acid, melting his belt. As his pants fell down and he scrambled to pull them up, Ashido slid up to him and delivered a vicious uppercut, making him fall to the ground in a heap. I covered my own jaw a bit thinking of how painful that must feel. Then again, I had done the same move before against other people when I got into fights, so I couldn't complain.

"Aoyama has fainted!" Midnight announced. "The winner of this match is Ashido!"

"Dang! Aoyama went down hard!" Present Mic said while Ashido held up peace signs to the cheering crowd with a smile on her face. "That's an easy won victory if I've ever seen one sport's fans! Now let's not have this hot streak cool, time to move on for the sixth match! On this side, the dark samurai and his darker shadow. From the Hero Course, Fumikage Tokoyami, versus! The great creator! She was admitted because of recommendations and I think we can all see why. Also from Class 1-A, Momo Yaoyorozu!"

Coming out of the entrances on either side were Yaoyorozu, and Tokoyami. This was definitely going to be interesting. I knew that Yaoyorozu could create any object out of her body, but I didn't know much about Tokoyami's, other than how he had used it to create some sort of shadow creature that could be another pair of arms for him to fight. Other than that, it could give him some good mobility.

Present Mic's shouting for the match to begin brought me out of my thoughts. Right away Tokoyami had the bird-looking shadow shoot forward from his stomach. Yaoyorozu created a shield, blocking the shadow's strike from its left claw. It came in for another strike, making her stagger back from the blow.

It continued to press like it was an actual bird dive-bombing its prey. With a swift attack, it knocked the shield from her hand, causing her to make another as it slammed against the metal once more. She slid back, almost towards the out of boundary line. She put out her hand to create a piece of metal, and I groaned as she took her foot, and unknowingly put it out of bounds.

Putting my hands over my face, I looked down. "Oh no..." I felt sad, seeing she didn't have a clue of what she just did.

"Yaoyoruzo, you're out!" Midnight said with a crack of her whip, seeing she had put her foot out of bounds. "This match goes to Tokoyami!"

I looked up with my hands still over my mouth as the shadow went back into Tokoyami. He gave a quick bow of respect before turning around to leave.

"Yikes! Another fast, overwhelming victory! Is it possible Tokoyami's Dark Shadow is the greatest Quirk ever?" Present Mic asked. "I think so!"

"You okay Mason?" Hana asked.

"Yeah... Just... Damn." I said. "She didn't even see that one coming at all. Tokoyami forced her out of bounds by focusing on her shield with ease. I just feel bad for her right now. She couldn't even do anything."

Hana let out a sigh. "Sometimes that's just how it goes. Maybe we can try and cheer her up l-later? Right?"

"Sounds good. Anyway, I gotta head to the bathroom. I'll be back!" I said as I got up to head over, hearing Present Mic announce Kirishima and Tetsutetsu as the next match. That was definitely going to be an interesting one.

* * *

After finishing my business I went over to the sink to wash my hands. Just as I turned the water on, the door opened up. Next, to me, the person turned the sink on, also washing their hands, even though they hadn't used the toilet or urinal.

"So, you're her 'champion' I take it?"

I looked over as we both turned the water to see Chikara, looking at me with his yellow eyes. His red hair was slicked back, yet the lack of sheen showed there was no gel whatsoever in it. For some reason, I felt hostility from him, yet what he said confused me.

"Champion?" I asked.

"Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear," Chikara said before clearing his throat. "From what I've seen, you and Hanakabe are... What's the word... Dating? Together?"

"Yes," I said nodding. "There a problem with that?"

"Oh goodness no!" He put his hands p in mock defense. He then smiled slyly. "I just wasn't sure if you... Knew about the specifics is all."

At this moment I felt there were two things I could say. One, I told him I did know about how he was her fiance and everything. The second, I played him to get another one up on this guy. Sadly, temptation seemed to be someone I loved to be with today.

"Mind enlightening me? Being her boyfriend I'd like to know what's going on, or if she's in trouble."

He put his hand on his head and shook it. "Oh, where to even begin..." He said while cocking his head to the side. "Where to start? Let's see... Oh! Her father! Not sure if you know, but her father is the Pro Hero Roadblock. Not as big as All Might, Endeavor, or Best Jeanist, but he's very good at the hero business. Has the same Quirk as Miss Hanakabe as well. Then again, they are family so it's to be expected. In short, she's very high in society. A 'rich girl' if you will. She has quite the lineage. Did you know that she also got into an accident as a kid? Her mother died, sadly." His cockiness seemed to die down, and he looked away. "She got horrible scars all around her right eye, similar to that Shoto Todoroki in your class. A bank robbery had been in progress, the group had a falling out, the guy got cornered, and brought a good chunk of it down. Boulder about half the size of the car slammed into it."

Even hearing a second time, it was still horrible to hear. "Jesus..."

"Yes, it was terrible. Having grown up knowing her to be someone so full of life and cheerful... To see her crumple down in a heap, realizing she couldn't have done anything. Her dad was busy all the time, and her mother was the only one really there." He took his hand and made a fist. "I couldn't help her in her most difficult time. Then come to hear, she makes a friend at the middle school her father sent her to. The broken girl was smiling like she used to, and I wanted to thank whoever they were. They must have been worth it for her to get help from her father when they got into a fight just to help her."

 _If only he knew..._ I thought to myself.

"Still, to what I was saying. After the said fight, her father felt it was best that she was already assured an easy life. He decided to prepare an arranged marriage with someone who was 'successful'. She wanted to decline the arrangement and be a hero, so he offered an out clause. She could be a hero, and she could get out of the arranged marriage is she was able to find someone on her own. He kept her wishes in mind with it though. You see," He stood tall, hands in his pockets. "Mr. Kennagasa chose me to be Miss Hanakabe's fiance. Meaning you are in a way my competition. I've done a lot to get where I am, and I want her to be happy. What she's gone through... What Terrarizer did... I'm glad that bastard is locked up and rotting away as we speak. Heard he has a kid too! Wonder if cruelty runs in the family-"

The ground cracked underneath me as I pinned him against the stall door, my left forearm against his throat and a stone knife in my right hand pointed at him. Hearing those words thinking rationally was the last thing I could do at that moment.

"Wanna continue talking, or should we start our match a bit early right here and now motherfucker?" I asked. Even I wanted to keep a low profile on my own family, no way was I going to let that slide.

"Well, isn't this interesting. Then again," He took his right hand and grabbed the knife, making it fracture and break as if made of glass. I quickly backed up, keeping my angered gaze on him. "You should save it for the second round. There's a fifty-fifty chance we'll face off, after all, 'son' of Terrarizer. Wonder how Hana would feel if she knew her boyfriend was the son of the very man who killed her mother? Or anyone else for that matter! I heard he injured quite a lot of people, even killed the very people he was robbing the bank with!" His smile pissed me off as he gloated and threatened. "How's it feel to know all people probably ever see is your father?"

All I wanted to do was smash his face in along with that cocky grin of his. I thought he might've cared a little bit about Hana, but I was wrong. Just like I thought he was a prick. Hana was right about not liking the guy. It was taking all I had to not give in and shut him up.

"I'm all too used to the prejudice, thank you very much. She might not know, but even then she still treated me like an actual person. Lot more than you can say. If you cared about her so much, why didn't you try to help as well when you heard about me? Hm?"

"I'm much closer to her than you think. As if some punk like you could know how to make her happy. What do you even know? Go ahead, surprise me." He asked, a cocky grin on his face.

"She thinks you're a jerk?"

"Real funny. Something else."

"Okay. The Kennagasa bloodline is unique in that children have a one-hundred percent chance of either inheriting the family Quirk, the other parent's Quirk, or a random one. No matter how you dice it, the offspring of the Kennagasa will have a Quirk."

Chikara looked both surprised and confused. "Well... Seems you do know a thing or two. Still," He looked at me, the intent to attack in his eyes. "I won't forget your little threat. If we happen to face off, just know," He blasted the wall, making cracks form in a circle around it. "I won't go easy. As Hanakabe's choice, and as her fiance selected by her own father, we will both have to prove ourselves. This is a declaration of war, understand?"

I gave my own cocky grin. "I'm from Class 1-A, of course, I'm used to declarations of war!" As he went to leave out the door I spoke up again. "By the way, it's not the son of Terrarizer. My name is Mason Ishi! Got it? Remember it because it's gonna be the name of the guy who beats you."

"And I'm Kossetsu Chikara. You better fight if you love her so much. Otherwise, what use will telling me your name be? You better live up being her inspiration as well. I might not have been as supportive as you were, but that doesn't mean I have low expectations either."

* * *

Coming back up after the talk with Chikara, I sat down over by Hana. My eyes wandered over to the wall that divided our set of seats from Class 1-B's. He was just on the other side, and could easily pop over and spill everything about me.

Ever since I got into U.A., I tried to avoid letting people know my dad _even was_ a Villain. More than likely a good few who know who Terrarizer was. Not to mention if Hana found out... How would she react? Once again that rare feeling of fear came over me the more I dwelled on it as Kirishima's and Tetsutetsu's match went on.

It wasn't that I didn't feel fear, everyone felt fear at least once in their life. It was the fact I got nervous or felt uncertain about things, not afraid. The real fear was those moments I realized I _could_ feel it. At the USJ when we had fought that mole Villain, I felt fear for Hana when she had been injured, and when the flood of Villains walked through Kurogiri like out of some zombie horror film.

Now that someone actually knew, someone who could use that information at any time... That is what terrified me at that moment. Letting out a deep breath, I tried my best to stay calm. Just like I always did in life, if it happened, I'd deal with it. That was all I could do right now.

Placing my attention on the fight, I watched as Kirishima and Tetsutetsu both hit each other with a mean right hook. Both took the hits head on, falling to the ground onto their back's.

"Wow, that hurt me and all I'm doing is watching these guys! Is it over? The hot heads have been KO'd!" Present Mic exclaimed. "But who is the winner?"

Midnight rushed over to both of the unconscious students. It seemed both were unconscious with how she looked back and forth between them. The silence was broken by the R-Rated hero raising her hand into the air to call the match.

"They're both down! It's a draw!" She announced. "When the contestants recover from the battle the winner will be determined by a simple contest, perhaps arm-wrestling."

"While we wait for Kirishima and Tetsutetsu to recover," Present Mic said as two robots carried them away on stretchers, "Let's carry on to the next round!"

"So it's their match now, and after them, yours," Hana said.

As the screen popped up showing Uraraka and Bakugo popped up, I nodded. "I'm not even sure how to feel about this one."

"Neither am I," Hana said as she grabbed my hand. "Bakugo going easy on h-her is wishful thinking. Isn't i-it?" She asked. I wrapped my arm around her. Not for show, but because I was just as concerned as she was.

"I don't know," I said to her, waiting for the inevitable outcome.

"Time for the eighth match of the first round! He was kind of a hotshot in middle school and just look at that determined face. From the Hero Course, it's Katsuki Bakugo! Versus! The one I'm personally rooting for- also from Class 1-A- Ochaco Uraraka! Now..." The hero paused for dramatic effect. "Let the eighth match BEGIN!"

* * *

 **A/N: Oh time to get ready for the eighth match! As to why I didn't make it the last and do Mason's and Hana's beforehand, it would mess up the system in which the fights turn out. After all, Bakugo's second fight _is_ Kirishima, so don't want to meddle with it too much. Don't worry though, Hanakabe versus Chikara is going to be VERY good if it goes according to plan. Part of doing these chapters ahead of time is, of course, to give me time to think about these things after all. Not to mention Chikara now knowing of Mason's connection to Terrarizer... OH, THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!**

 **pokemonking0924: I plan to stay a bit away from Mason being able to make constructions like Pixie-Bob does, but I will definitely have some interaction between the two in the Camp Arc, and maybe some more as well. That and he is definitely going to be doing quite a few moves with reference to popular earth users.**

 **Shogun Shorrow: Oh that pun was dirty XD**

 **Sneak peek time!**

 **"So, she's gonna go with that..."**

 **"Do your best Mason!"**

 **"Meet the girl of Wallstreet herself! You won't know what's coming when she steps onto the field! From Class 1-A of the Hero Course, Hanakabe Kennagasa! Versus! The guy who is anything but a pushover, from Class 1-B also from the Hero Course, Kossetsu Chikara!"**

 **Get ready people, it's coming!**


	23. Chapter 23

Surprisingly Uraraka was the one to make the first move. She got down low as she ran at Bakugo, her right hand out to strike. From the speed she was heading it showed even she was dead set on winning.

"So she's gonna go with that..." I said aloud.

"With what?" Hana asked me.

"Well, from what I've seen Bakugo isn't one to run from a fight. There's a reason him standing still is an advantage and a disadvantage." I explained.

"Wouldn't him standing still be in her favor? Uraraka can make anything she touches float, so she just needs to touch him once right?"

"Not necessarily. Yes, her making the first move is best. But by him standing still, he can gather time to prepare for her." I crouched in my seat as I looked at Uraraka closing in on Bakugo. "In short, he's waiting for the counter. And in turn, Uraraka can use her counter. What matters is if she can dodge."

Hana nodded. "Bakugo can let off explosions in a wide radius, even maneuver by using the momentum he gains. He's more of a close-combat type like I am.

Just as Uraraka closed in, Bakugo brought back his right arm. This was the moment everyone was waiting for. It looked like Uraraka was going to get off her attack, only for Bakugo to jerk his arm back, shooting an explosive blast right at her.

A giant cloud of smoke filled the spot between Bakugo and where Uraraka had been. From the look of it, it seemed Uraraka either was too slow, or Bakugo immediately knew what was up. Sure he was a literal ticking time bomb, but even he had skills to use his Quirk. This showed me he might be the true challenge of this tournament, along with Todoroki and Izuku.

Bakugo lashed out with another blast, making the smoke clear as he slammed Uraraka's gym shirt down onto the ground. My face broke out into a smile seeing the clever trick she pulled. She had made her shirt float as a decoy, using the smoke as cover as she appeared behind him, ready to strike once again.

"Whoa! She sent her jacket as a decoy! What incredibly quick thinking!" Present Mic exclaimed.

As she was about to put her hand on him, Bakugo quickly spun around. He let off an explosion, making the ground break and send her flying. She landed on her feet, the smoke clearing as he made his way through it.

To be honest I was surprised she was able to last this long against him. For the carefree girl she was, I was finding new respect for Uraraka's combat abilities. With every explosion sent her way, she either got back up or evaded it to some degree. She was relentless as she tried to get a hit on him. One hit was all it would take.

"The downside is Bakugo knows what his weaknesses are. So long as he keeps blasting her, he can win through exhausting her."

"Exactly." Leaning back I sighed. "Exactly the reason why Uraraka might lose. She has to be quicker than him, or outwit him." Bakugo let off another explosion at Uraraka, making her hit the ground. "Not just that, but he's brutal. Going easy on someone isn't within his morals. He'll fight with everything he has, expecting the same from his opponent."

Just like a rinse and repeat cycle, Uraraka continued, again and again, to try and strike Bakugo. Each time the brown-haired girl would get close, he would let off another blast to create distance between them. Right now she was showing sheer determination to win.

"Looks like she's not resting between attacks after being exploded." Present Mic commentated. His voice seemed more reigned in than usual.

I couldn't blame him though. Anyone could tell that this match was one-sided right from the start. At this point, it was like shooting enemies in a video game with disabled AI with how he simply batted her away with each blast.

Another giant explosion made some of the Pro Heroes speak up.

"Hey, shouldn't one of the teacher's step in?"

"Yeah, this is way too rough!"

Uraraka got back up and headed back in to attack him. Just like all the times before, she was met with a head-on explosion from Bakugo. I went to sit back, letting out a breath which turned into a coughing fit at the sight in the air.

 _Uraraka... You're a fucking genius._ I thought to myself as a made a wicked smile of anticipation.

"This is shameful!" A voice said in the crowd. I couldn't see the person, but I knew the general direction of where they were. "Listen kid you really wanna be a hero? Then stop acting like a bully! If you're so good just send her out of bounds." In response, another explosion was set off. "Stop toying with the girl and end this match!"

"Yeah, you heard the guy!" A female Pro said. Along with this many other began to agree and boo Bakugo.

"The crowd is now booing Bakugo! And honestly I kinda agree with what they say-" He was cut off as he shouted in surprise. A familiar muffled voice then came onto the speakers.

"Where is the man who started this uproar?" Aizawa asked. His voice might have seemed calm, but as his nephew, I knew all too well the fury it was hiding. "Are you a Pro? Because if you're being serious you can go home and hang up your cape. I'd suggest looking into another career."

"Oh no..." I said with my hands over my mouth.

"What is it?" Ashido asked as she leaned her head in between me and Hana.

"It's about to get good is what," I said in response. If there was anything my uncle/godfather was good at- It was teaching and knowing the reasons behind one's actions.

"Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgment of his opponent's strength. He knows she deserves making it this far. So he's doing whatever it takes to keep her at bay and make it on top." Aizawa pointed out, silencing the crowd.

"Doesn't mean he should so rough with her though..." Ashido stated.

"There's a certain trick to strategy Ashido," Hana said. "I might be sounding like M-Mason, but you don't just plan for the battle, but for the war. A Hero should always have a plan in case things get out of hand or don't go the way they should. It's this kind of thinking that separates regular Heroes from the Pros." She pointed up. "And it seems U-Uraraka was all too ready for the war."

Ashido's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped as she looked up. "That's a bit... Extreme...!"

"While being distracted by keeping her at bay, he made the one mistake we all do as human beings." Taking my finger, I pointed at the huge gathering of debris floating in the air. "He never looked to see the threat above him."

Just as Uraraka put her hands together, the debris began to fall downwards. With how high up it was, no doubt it was gaining an optimum amount of momentum. In the words of one shocked Present Mic, it was a makeshift meteor shower in a way.

Taking advantage, she ran at Bakugo. Just like the smoke from the explosions, it was the perfect cover. Not only would he have to be aware of her, but the meteor shower as well. Even though she had taken quite the beating, that time to gather ammunition was all too worth it. Victory was just a hand's touch away until the arena shook with a giant explosion from Bakugo that was aimed upwards.

Along with the fiery blast, the shock wave not only blew Uraraka away but sent a blast of air throughout the entire stadium. Once it settled all that could be seen was Bakugo with his hand still aimed upwards, and the ground littered with pebbles. All of us were shocked at how he destroyed all the debris in one shot.

"Bakugo banks on a huge demonstration of power! He blasted apart Uraraka's finishing move and remains untouched!" Present Mic said.

On the other side, Uraraka seemed to struggle to stand up. Part of me wanted her to stay down, yet I knew that she was just going to keep pressing on. Bakugo was the first to engage as he ran at her, his hand at the ready. She turned around, ready to strike, only to fall to the ground, the blonde-haired bomber stopping in his tracks seeing his opponent fall.

"Uraraka is down!" Announced Present Mic.

Even with that said, she continued to try and crawl her way towards Bakugo. Midnight walked over, putting her hand on Uraraka and the other to stop Bakugo from advancing. We all waited to hear the eventual announcement

"Uraraka is K.O.'d. Bakugo advances to the second round." Midnight said, the crowd cheering at the fight.

After everyone had left the arena, Present Mic took, well, the mic. "And with that fight how about, we all take a little break while we get things tidied up. In the meantime, enjoy some concessions! I was really pulling for Uraraka though, and I guess Bakugo is moving on."

* * *

It didn't take long for Cementoss to get the area fixed up. The number of explosions and debris seemed like it would be a pain to fix up, but man was I wrong. During this downtime, Midoriya and Iida went to visit Uraraka. This left me with Ashido and Hana as we simply talked.

Didn't help the subject we were talking about was, of course, me and Hana "dating". I felt bad not being able to tell her. Then again, if she knew about Chikara and how Hana described him as a jerk, she wouldn't be the only one wanting to beat his skull in. Hana was one of those people that got along with everyone in Class, so in a way, she was someone any of us would want to protect or help out in a pinch.

"So... How long?" Ashido asked with a smug smile on her face. Hana made a sound of embarrassment, covering her face. "Come on Hana don't worry about it! People dating is natural! To be fair I kinda called it didn't I? Plus," She then turned to me. "No doubt Mason is willing to answer my questions. Right?"Trying my best I tried to face forward, showing no attempts to budge. "Come on! My best friends are dating and you haven't told _me_ about it!"

"A week as of today," I said, keeping my face as straight as possible. On the inside, I was internally screaming as I dug me and Hana a deeper hole than we were already in.

"So that'd be... During our training for the Sports Festival?" Ashido said as she put her finger on her chin to think. "I won't ask any more questions. Much as I like Hana going into her shell when she gets flustered, she's still my friend." Her eyes then filled with hostility. "So you better not break her heart, got it Rocky?"

"Completely. Got it." I replied as I silently sweated bullets of fear. Hana's eyes went wide with surprise at the ferocity Ashido expressed.

"Okay! Also, it seems Mr. Cemetoss is almost done fixing up the ring. I feel bad considering your Quirk... Well..." Ashido died off at the mention of my Quirk.

"Yeah," I looked down. "That cement is going to be ripped up depending on how long the battle takes. All I know about Togatta- the girl from 1-B with the blue hair- Is she can control her hair and use it as a weapon, or even a shield. Seems I'll have to use my weapons as well."

"Well, we'll be rooting for you! Right Hana?" Ashido said.

"Y-yeah! Do your b-best Mason!" Hana said with a smile.

"And for a quick update on the state of the ring!" Present Mic chimed in. "For those competing in the next round, I suggest you get ready! Let's hope this match is as good as the other's have been so far! All riiiiight!"

* * *

You know that feeling you get as a kid when you do your first play? For some reason, I never understood why all elementary schools forced their students to do one. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't nervous as I prepared to walk out and fight against Togatta. It was the exact opposite.

It was a mix of anticipation and excitement. The butterflies were there in my stomach, yeah. Yet I didn't feel like my body froze up. Just like I always did I calmly walked up the stairs and stood opposite from Togatta. Her red eyes and blue hair were a sight to behold, not to mention she was beautiful. Her blue hair was a sort of faded blue, turning into a navy as it got down to the tips. Along with her red eyes looking like small rubies.

"All right let's get ready for the ninth match of the first round! On this side, the man himself who got fourth place and has barreled right through like a boulder! From Class 1-A of the Hero course, give it up Mason Ishiiii! Versus! The temptress of Class 1-B with her wild hair, also from the Hero Course, Kami Togatta! Now, get ready..." I got into my stance, My left hand behind my back while my right was in front.

"You better show that prowess of yours back in the Cavalry Battle," Togatta said as she gave me a warm smile.

"Same to you. I know you were holding back"

"BEGIN!"

"I know." She said as her hair came alive as it burst out of the ponytail it was in.

Her hair shot towards me as I stomped on the ground, making a wall form in front of me. Backing up, I held out my hand to form a stone staff, prepared for whatever side she was about to come from. I was surprised when the stone wall was pierced by blue blades that cut it apart, revealing Togatta on the other side. She ran at me, her hair in the shape of blades spinning wildly.

With my only options being running or standing my ground, I stood my ground as I fended them off. Her Quirk was similar to Shiozaki's it seemed, except instead of vines it was hair that could be regular hair, or apparently, harden like Kirishima or Tetsutetsu could with their skin. Either way, it wasn't good.

While I had one weapon, she could have multiple, along with normal hair to restrain me if she chose to. There were only three ways I could win. Knocking her out, immobilizing her, or hitting her out of bounds.

To be honest I wasn't keen on knocking her out with a firm punch to the gut after Bakugo and Uraraka's match. It was too soon to do something like that. My thoughts were interrupted by her silky hair grabbing my right arm, trying to pull me in. Switching my staff to my left I made the end sharpen, and cut downwards.

Strands of blue hair fell to the ground as it cut through it, allowing me to free my arm. I grabbed onto my staff, splitting it apart and forming it into two single-edged blades with a serrated edge.

No doubt using a cutting weapon would be much better than a blunt staff. I rushed in, spinning the blades around as I went to cut at any strand of hair there was. If I wanted to win this, I'd have to first eliminate the immediate threat- Her hair. Despite the look of it, the hair seemed durable with how each clash resounded with a metal clang.

I stabbed forwards with my right, making her dodge to the left to meet the pommel of my other knife as I swung it into her. Taking advantage of her gripping her side and backing up, I turned them into the sand, keeping it around me as a scarf of sorts.

Togatta looked up at me with her red eyes. "Well, that was quite impressive. You seemed to adapt quickly seeing my Quirk's capabilities."

"Yeah, kinda guessed you two were hiding what your Quirks could really do. That moment when you made a shield when Kendo attacked gave it away." I replied with a smile as I let a small bit of sand spin in my hand like a twister. "Then again, I still got some tricks as well."

"Very well," She held out her right hand. "Seems I should show some of my own tricks then."

My eyes widened as her hair wrapped around her arm and hand like a bandage. It took on a metallic sheen as blades formed and lined her arm, and the hair around her nails sharpening. "No doubt I will lose this round, Mason Ishi. Despite that, I still plan to show what I can do." She put her left foot forward, and arched her right hand, the blue claws at the ready. "So as I said before, please give me a worthy fight that I can show off my skills."

"No prob," I said as I got into my own, the sand forming back into knives that floated around me as I wielded one in my right. "This makes us friends?" I asked her.

She let out a light-hearted laugh. "Yes. I feel we could have an interesting partnership. Now, here I come!" She shouted as she ran at me, striking downwards.

Despite fighting me with only her right arm as her weapon, the rest of her hair was fighting as well. Whether it was attempting to restrain me or fend off the stone knives I was controlling with my left, we seemed to be in a stalemate.

Holding my knife in an underhand grip I went forward, the blade going between her middle and ring fingers, stopping as it hit the hardened hair. She grabbed onto my right hand, slamming her knee into my stomach as I let out a breath in advance to avoid having the wind knocked out of me. I swiped downwards with my left, the other stone knives shooting downwards in between us to create some distance, more strands of her hair fell onto the ground as I clutched my stomach, the pain passing.

My adrenaline was all too alive as I called the knives and some of the concrete around me, forming a new stone staff, along with that a few pool-ball sized rocks that floated in the air around me. I lined up my staff with one of the stone balls floating in front of it.

Once I had a solid opening as she ran at me, I fired, using my "Shooting Gallery". The stone ball turned to sand on impact, along with the three others I shot as I ran opposite to her. Once that was done I took my staff and struck forward, meeting her clawed hand as she grabbed it. Once again, it turned to sand as she attempted to rip it from my hands, solidifying back into stone on her arm, along with the stone-balls I shot at her, weighing her down.

Trying her best, she tried to swing at me with her left as I moved out of the way, swiping my right to shoot small harmless shots of sand at her. With a snap of my fingers, that also solidified on impact. She stood still, struggling to even move her leg forward to meet me, breathing heavily. In case she was able to move

In case she was able to move, I created two stone batons in case she was able to get free. From the way she was struggling, the chances of her being able to move efficiently seemed slim. Then again my Shooting Gallery was exactly meant for that, restraining my opponents from a distance.

"Miss Togatta, are you able to move?" Midnight asked.

Togatta struggled one last time, trying to raise up her arm, only for it drop at her side like a dead weight. "No, I can not."

"Very well." Midnight rose up her hand. "Mason Ishi has won! He shall proceed to the next round!" She announced.

It was an invigorating feeling as I heard the crowd cheer. My heart began to slow down as I calmed down after the fight. For some reason, it felt similar to whenever I and Hana had sparring sessions. With another snap of my fingers, the stone restraints turned into sand, all of it falling off of her. It was a tad difficult trying to make sure I hadn't accidentally left a grain of sand in there. After all, from the looks of it, she took great pride in her hair.

After getting her out, I put my hand out. "Thanks for the match," I said to her.

She took hold of mine, giving it a firm shake. "Likewise. I will admit, if not for you already being taken by Kennagasa, I'd probably take you for myself with that prowess of yours." She said with a wink.

"Wh-what did you just say?" I asked, my cheeks turning a small bit red.

She turned around and began to leave. "The real question is... What _didn't_ I say guter herr?"

* * *

After my match, I went back to the seats where the rest of my class was. As soon as I had gotten up the steps everyone was happy to see I had won. Ashido was the first, seeing Hana was most likely getting ready for hers.

"That was awesome Mason! For a second I thought you were done for when her hair cut through that wall of yours." The pink skinned girl said. "But nope! You showed her!"

"Dude you're something else. Didn't think you'd include Pool in your Quirk." Denki remarked.

"Well, I kinda thought it'd be a lot flashier than just shooting sand at someone. Also... Is Midoriya okay?" I pointed over at the hunched boy furiously writing away.

Ashido let out a little chuckle. "Your match was very 'filling' for him. Ever since you were half-way in he's been writing everything down. I think you might've broken him actually..."

Walking over and sitting down I was surprised to not see smoke coming off the pencil he was using for his notes. It was rude, but I looked over his shoulder to see a rough sketch of what was probably me, and him talking about my Shooting Gallery.

"Even though he's essentially shooting a rock at his opponent, he can still manage to manipulate the projectile's impact and state of matter and make it turn back into its former state he changed it from. You'd probably have to either stay out of his range or take him by surprise, but even then he's probably had similar training to Mr. Aizawa for when he's out of his element... Hm... Even his combat training with weapons is enough for him to barely do anything major when he's in a fight..."

Yup, I had definitely broken him. I laughed a little bit and went back to my seat, Ashido leaning over and looking down at the ring. "Hana's up next. She was really focusing on your match you know." She said.

"Was she?" I asked.

"Yup! She left around when you started shooting at Togatta. Said she needed to get ready. Forgot who she was up against though."

"Chikara. We had teamed up with Chikara and Togatta during the Cavalry Battle. We got to see their Quirks a little, but..."

"But what?" Ashido asked, concern in her voice.

"Well, it's clear that they didn't tell us all the details. Togatta was able to cut through my stone wall with _hair._ I can only imagine what Chikara can do if he only said he can push things super hard. To be honest, I'm worried."

"Yeah... Hearing you say that so am I... But she'll be fine! She'll sock him real good!"

From Ashido's voice, I could tell she was trying to reassure both of us. From how he had broken the stone knife I made, it seemed there was more than meets the eyes with his Quirk. No doubt this match was going to show just that.

"Well get ready everybody! Time for the tenth, and last match of the fist rouuuund! Now let's put it together for our contenders!" Present Mic said, the crowd all too ready for this match. "Meet the girl of Wallstreet herself! You won't know what's coming when she steps onto the field! From Class 1-A of the Hero Course, Hanakabe Kennagasa! Versus! The guy who is anything but a pushover, from Class 1-B also from the Hero Course, Kossetsu Chikara!"

Hanakabe walked up, her black hair tied in a ponytail in the back. Chikara stood on the left, his hands in his pockets. The guy's stance made me hate him even more, and that was _before_ what he had said.

My only fear right now was how this match was going to turn out, and if Chikara told Hana about me. I had no clue how she would react to my dad being Terrarizer, and me his son. This match had me on edge for a mountain-sized amount of reasons.

"Ready... BEGIN!" Present Mic shouted, starting the match. Right away Hana slashed with her right hand, and for the first time, I saw her barrier. The purple wave of glass shot forward. Everyone was shocked, including Mic. "What's this!? Kennagasa's barriers actually have a color? There aren't just invisible!?"

Chikara stood there, waiting as it raced towards him. It seemed like he was just going to let it hit him, until he spun around, giving the purple projectile a firm kick. The surprise I had of Hana's barriers having an actual color was replaced by dread, as the loud sound of glass breaking was heard.

* * *

 **A/N: For those wondering, "guter herr" is German for good sir. Kami's mom is German, and her father is Japanese. I thought it'd be a good twist to have the two OCs for Class 1-B be one who's half some other ethnicity, and the other full Japanese, just like with Hanakabe and Mason. Plus I love the idea of being able to manipulate one's hair however they wish. Makes for some interesting ways for a character to fight. Enough of that though, can't wait to get the Hana and Chikara fight out. Oh boy is it going to be fun! And quite the set up for later chapters. Now to the reviews!**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh the next match(and other matches) will be hype as always.**

 **Now for our sneak peak to the next chapter! Let the fight, begin!**

 **"No way..."**

 **"Who might this be?"**

 **"You heard me! You're. My. Hero!"**


	24. Chapter 24

The sound of glass breaking resonated through my body. Chikara's foot was aimed at Hana, the girl frozen in either shock or fear. Just about all of us were surprised, especially me and Ashido.

"Did he just..." Ashido said, her voice shaky. "No way..."

"Seems I was right. It's a lot more than just pushing stuff. Should've known when he broke the ground for an example." I stated while I held my head with both of my hands, trying to not lose it.

"To think he could break Kennagasa's barrier with a kick like that... He's either a physical fighter or has some sort of emitter Quirk." Izuku said. I looked over at him, seeing Hana rush at Chikara out of the corner of my eye.

"He does," I said to the green-haired boy. "During the Cavalry Battle, he broke the ground up as an example of what he could do.

Hearing this he began to flip through his book. "The only thing I can think of is he's either emitting enough force to break Kennagasa's barrier, or making it weaker. Personally, I think it's the former. Her skill is along the same lines as Ka-chan or Todoroki, and she has to be in top physical condition with how much she trains with you. Still, it's difficult to fight an opponent who can easily counter your own Quirk. Though the change in her barriers could mean she's able to make them invisible so people won't see them. Then again that's just a hunch."

"Seems good enough to me. I've never seen them in color before." I added.

Hana got close, sending another barrier at him. Chikara dodged to the left as it hit slightly behind where he had been standing. It didn't stop as the two entered a match of Hana throwing her barriers, and Chikara breaking them. The kicks and punches blended together, the sound of glass emphasizing the impact of their attacks.

Izuku was right though. Chikara was a perfect counter to Hana it seemed. I didn't exactly know the limits of Hana's barriers, but I knew there was a limit. All people had a limit to their Quirks, that was a distinct fact. Yet facing someone who could make your Quirk useless... It was an obstacle all Heroes knew they'd have to overcome when working out in the field.

More sound of glass breaking rang out as the two combatants faced off. Hana got down low, performing a sweep kick to Chikara. It worked until he put his hand behind him, the ground cracking as he steadied himself out, striking Hana with his palm.

She slid back, her arms up in defense. From the sheer force, I could tell her arms were either bruised or in incredible pain. Chikara didn't let up as he continued to attack using his palms, each attack either breaking one of Hana's purple barriers or pushing her back.

Her leg became encased in one of her barriers as she went to give him a roundhouse kick. With how fast she was moving it seemed she'd get a good hit on him. He brought down his arm using his elbow, the Barrier breaking upon the impact. He struck her leg with a swift chop, making her fall to the ground. Hana rolled out of his way, shooting another barrier, this one much larger in size at him.

For once it actually connected with him. He was pushed back a good deal to his own side, trying to stop its momentum before breaking it apart with a punch from his fist. Chikara continued to advance, using his hands to shatter any barriers that were put up to stop him, or that were shot at him.

"Holy crap this a good match! Kennagasa keeps trying to deter him, only for Chikara to easily counter her attacks! This man is a complete monster! No offense..." Present Mic exclaimed as Chikara made his way to Hana. "And it looks like Chikara is going full steam ahead with his attack!"

Chikara cut the distance between him and Hana in only a few seconds, closing in with a punch to the ground Hana was standing on. She fell back, rolling away from where he hit, the air filled with dust where she had been standing. What the hell was his Quirk?!

Hana's arms glowed purple as I saw her barriers being placed around her fist. She went into punch Chikara in the gut, making it connect as the barrier broke against his hand grabbing her arm and throwing her away as he clutched his gut with his left. Seemed she had been able to get a good shot on him. That one successful hit gave me hope that she could possibly win this match.

She began to throw more barrier projectiles at him. Some would evaporate against his hands, the others hitting him and making him step back from the force. Each time they'd get closer and closer to each other, Hana advancing every time he'd take a hit from her attacks.

The finale came as Hana put her hands out, a barrier much thicker than the other placed in front of her. She brought back her leg, kicking it forward towards Chikara. He put his hands out, only for it to not break for once.

It was like watching an American football player be pushed back down the field. I was on the edge of my seat, my hands digging into the arms of the chair as victory seemed just seconds away for Hana.

"She's gonna do it!" Ashido said, just as excited as I was.

"She can do it! Come on show him- Who's... Boss..."

Dread filled my voice as a sound like a cannon was sent through the arena. The giant barrier broke apart into giant chunks, Chikara standing as he wiped his arm against his brow. The whole arena was ripped apart as if a giant monster took its claws and dug deep into the concrete. My eyes couldn't see Hana anywhere in the arena, until I looked to see her at the bottom of the stairs she had walked up just a few seconds ago, struggling to get up.

With the crack of a whip, I already knew the outcome that was to be announced. Getting up almost faster than even Iida, I hurried down the stairs to check on Hana. I don't know why I did, but for some reason, I felt it was what I _should_ be doing instead of sitting there in disbelief.

* * *

Grabbing the wall to stop myself from sliding into a wall, I rounded the corner. Standing there was a man in purple riot gear, talking to Recovery Girl. My boots squeaking on the floor made them both look towards me, the nurse smiling.

Taking her syringe-looking cane, she pointed inside. "She's right in there dear. Also," She beckoned me closer. I walked over and leaned in as she whispered in my ear. "That match was hard on her, so I think a friend is what she needs right now. Just some comfort."

"Got it," I said with a nod.

"Who might this be?" The man in riot gear asked.

"Oh? Mason? One of Kennagasa's friends. Though if you ask me they seem to be more than that... Then again that's just me." She said, a small bit of a sly smile on her face.

"Well then. Glad to see my daughter is able to find people such as yourself who care about her. The name Mason seems familiar... Oh!" He snapped his fingers in realization. "You must be her boyfriend. Since this is the first time we've met, allow me to introduce myself." He bowed. "My name is Tsuyoi Kennagasa, also known as the 'Safeguard Hero' Roadblock. I happened to see your match, and just like my daughter, you seem to be quite skilled with it. Now," He straightened up, putting his helmet on and flipping down the visor. "I will take my leave. I'm sure you'll both want some time. Personally, that Chikara boy has power, but he needs to learn how to manage it as well." He turned around, making his way down the hall I just had.

My heart was racing at the mention of him being Hana's father, the Hero Roadblock. The very man who had been a prime part of my dad's arrest was walking away, not knowing that he was talking to the son of the man who indirectly killed his wife.

He was far different from what I imagined. He had a beard my dad would be jealous of, due to his inability to grow any major facial hair. He was tall and muscled, almost like a tamer All Might in the muscle department. Even his voice seemed less of a rich man and more of someone you'd meet on the street or at a walk-in restaurant. Not one bit did I see a man who'd put his daughter up for an arranged marriage. Then again, that was only on the surface.

After he left I opened the door and entered. On one of the beds was Hana, a few bandages here and there on her arms and face. She snapped her head over at me. Her frown quickly turned into a small smile as if she was trying to hide it from me. I brought over a chair and sat next to her.

"That match was pretty... Rough, huh?" She nodded silently, her knees up against her chin. "I thought you were gonna wipe the floor with him, not gonna lie. Seems they both played us by not giving us the full details on their powers." She was still silent. "Enough of that, does it hurt much?" She shook her head, the right side of her face showing for a second before the hair settled back down. What was with the silent treatment?

"Dear, you're going to have to talk to him eventually." Recovery Girl remarked. "He was willing to come down here and talk to you after that match of yours. The least you can do is talk to him!"

"Fine!" Hana shouted. "I'll talk, but... Can you please let have some alone time? It's private."

"There you go. Just don't make it to long, or I'll have to assume things." The old nurse said before leaving the room, laughing to herself. Once the door closed, Hana took a deep breath.

"So, what is it?" I asked.

"Mason," she said. "Chikara said..." My heart stopped for a moment when she said that. Did he tell her what I thought he told her? "Before I say anything, just please, be honest with me. Right now my emotions are just- Just..." She took her hand and grabbed mine, squeezing it tightly. "Tell me the truth."

"I will," I said, reassuring her.

She nodded and let out her breath. "Chikara said your dad is Terrarizer. Is... Is that true?" She asked me.

Preparing myself for the trainwreck coming for me, I nodded. "Yes. My dad is Terrarizer. He wasn't lying. It's the truth..."

"Thank you."

"Huh?" I said in confusion.

"Thank you." She tightened her grip on her pants. "For telling me the truth. I thought he was just trying to get me angry, but it seems Chikara was right."

"You're not mad? Or even want to punch me in the face? I was kinda preparing myself for that."

She smiled a bit. "Don't get me wrong, I want to. But..." She trailed off. "I... Everything about this is so hard. Part of me _is_ mad at you. I should want to hurt you, but the other part of me doesn't. Right now I have so many feelings and I don't know what I want to do with them." She took her hand from mine and put it up to her right eye, dragging her fingers over it. "I want to hate you but I can't!" She shouted angrily. "Hate creates more hate, something you've had to deal with your whole life! I hate myself for thinking about hating you!" Hana began to cry, covering her face with her hands. "You're such a good person! Through everything, through all the odds you've gotten here to achieve your dream! And here I am, being no better than the people that pushed you to do this! I'm surprised you don't hate me for my dad being the one to arrest yours and-"

"Stop it," I said as I hugged her. She stopped, surprised by the gesture. "We're both victims. Yet that doesn't mean you should hate yourself for hating me. It's sad, but if you did say you hate me, I wouldn't be bothered by it. What my dad did... Me- No- My whole family has come to accept it. I'll understand if you hate me, but never do I want you to hate yourself."

"Mason..." She said in surprise.

"You're the reason I'm doing this Hana. Because you were the one person who treated me like I'm not some copy of my dad. I could be _me_ around you. And seeing what you've had to go through, it just shows that my goal isn't some selfish request to the world. It's something that I need to reach. That I need to achieve so there won't be others like us. You're even nicer than I am. You've been through so much, so, please. Don't hate yourself." I released her from the hug and smiled. "If you have to, hate me. I'm used to people hating me after-" I was cut off as a hand came out of nowhere and met my face. "Ow!" I said.

"Idiot!" Hana shouted.

"What?! I meant it! I'd rather have you hate me than hate yourself!"

"I know! It's that fact that makes me lo- Look at you as an inspiring hero! You _are_ my hero!"

"What," I said in shock.

"You heard me! You're. My. Hero!" She took the hair covering the scared side of her face, brushing it behind her ear. "You're so amazing. You dealt with so many people hating you for what your father did, and not once did you lash out at them unless they attacked you. After you defended me, you were the reason I applied to U.A! Because You showed me that even if you're covered in your parent's shadow, you shouldn't let that dictate who you are. Be your own person, and show the damn world who you are! And if they say otherwise, screw them! In the end, it's you who showed them who you really are!" After her rant, she began to breathe heavily. "You... Are my... Inspiration, Mason Ishi. That's why I want to end this. It'll take getting used to... But... I don't want this to make a rift between us."

I got up, my face beginning to feel less pain from her slap. It was an old saying, but it was enough for me to understand. Putting my hand out, she put hers in mine, both of us giving the other a firm shake.

"The past is in the past," I stated.

"Yes," Hana said agreeing. "It won't be easy for me, but..." For the first time since middle school, she looked at me with both of her green eyes. Both unscared and scared. "But I'm willing to move on. We're friends, and I'd rather have it be that way than hate you for something you didn't even do."

"Same. Your dad was the one who arrested mine and put you in your position. Plus, other than Ashido you're one of the few people I regularly talk with. It's a blessing I'm your friend."

"And mine yours, Mason. We should head back though, huh? Next match is Midoriya and Todoroki, right?" She asked.

"Yes, it is. That's going to be an interesting one."

We began our way to the seats before Hana stopped me to loop her arm in mine, for appearance's sake. We'd be telling everyone the fact we had been faking our relationship after all. That was going to be one hell of a morning.

"Hey Mason, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Course not! Ask anything!"

"I know it isn't my business but... Do you like Ashido?"

I turned redder than Kirishima's hair. "Okay, scratch that! Not anything!"

"So you do?" She looked at me curiously with a smile. "Don't worry, I was just joking about that. Still, we're gonna have a long way to go with this, huh?"

"Yeah," I said agreeing. "Looks like life is going to be complicated for a bit..."

"More than complicated. Just think about how our fathers will react to this!"

"True, but hey, we'll get through it. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

 **A/N: And thus a somewhat good end to this part of the drama. Along with a light jab at the pre-stated couple that will eventually come into the light... Eventually. So far I've been focusing more on character development and setting up for the future chapters. VERY future chapters. Again not entirely sure when a good time to go back to the weekly schedule will be good with school and all, but I'm still gonna do this as it's something I enjoy and I'm sure many others enjoy as well. After all, I'm a writer at heart.**

 **The Guy Who Makes Unfair Deals: It was quite a show indeed.**

 **pokemonking0924: To answer your question, Hana's barriers have color now since I was going for a sort of "bend the light" to hide them. Basically, she isn't going out her way to hide them since he can break them anyways.**

 **ARSLOTHES: Not sure if I will do a three-way pairing. We'll just have to see where this story leads.**

 **one step behind: First, thank you for the review and that you're enjoying the series. Second, don't worry about the grammar, it's all good. Plus you do give me some ideas for the future of this current arc that might actually work out...**

 **Sneek peek time!**

 **"Oh my gosh Hana, are you okay? Your eye is-"**

 **"If you overuse your muscles you risk tearing them apart."**

 **"Mason, honey!"**

 **The mother strikes back!**


	25. Chapter 25

"Oh my gosh Hana, are you okay?! Your eye is-"

"I'm fine! Chikara had n-nothing to d-do with it!" Hana said while putting her hands up nervously. "It's an old injury is all!"

"Still," Ashido continued pressing on. "It looks like it hurts. Does it still?"

"No." Hana shook her head. "It's more of a reminder if anything. I wasn't sure how you guys would react s-seeing it. But someone told me that... You shouldn't take things at face value. This is m-me, and it's the face I want to show.".

"'Someone' you say?" Ashido said, her words showing she knew all too well who Hana was talking about. "Have to say, Mason, you're quite the pep-talker huh? You two are so cute together! Even if it's only now we've found this out, it's still so adorable!"

"I'm just as happy, but as I said, please keep your public showing of affection to a minimum in school you two," Iida said, the sunlight shining so much on his glasses it was like his own eyes were headlights. "It is not suitable for a school environment!"

"We know Iida!" Hana shouted, getting red in the face. "And Ashido you don't have to keep saying that!"

"But it's true!" Ashido said with a laugh with her arms behind her head. "I knew you two would be a good couple ever since the Entrance Exams. Especially after Mason saved you from that big robot! Now that I think about it..." She looked over at me. "Mason took out the zero-pointer, and so did Midoriya. So depending on how this goes would Mason be able to win against them?" She asked.

"I honestly don't know," I answered as I sat down and relaxed, crossing my arms. "This match is going to be interesting simply because of who's fighting. Todoroki can use fire and ice, but as I said he can only create it. He can't actively control it like I do unless he's shooting it in a certain direction. Now Midoriya..."

"What about him?" Ochaco asked, sounding concerned.

Turning to the brown-haired girl I smiled. "Well, his Quirk is definitely strong. Midoriya has a strong mind and a strong Quirk. The only thing stopping him is that each time he uses his Quirk he injures himself. We've seen he can limit the damage to just his fingers now, but still. Anything can happen in this match."

"Who's the most likely to win?" Iida asked.

I looked down. "No clue. When you get down to it, both of them are kinda anomalies. There's no sure way of predicting them. We're just going to have to watch how this plays out."

"I can _feel_ the anticipation in the stadium!" Present Mic said. "And that's because the second round's first match is gonna be epic!" He shouted with the enthusiasm he always had when commentating. "This guy won his last fight by a landslide and leftover half the audience frozen! The Hero Course's Shoto Todoroki!" Todoroki came up from the left, his posture cool and confident. Opposite on the right was Midoriya, walking up just as confident. "And _this_ kid almost walked out on his first match-up but made it up by showing us his impressive moves. Also from the Hero Course, Izuku Midoriya!"

"Tokoyami," Iida asked the bird-headed boy. "How do you think this match will go?"

"It all depends whether or not Midoriya is able to get close to him." He said in his deep voice. "Either wise it will be terribly close."

"Yeah, that's the problem," Ochaco stated. "How will Deku avoid the ice?"

I stayed quiet. Out of everyone I was most likely the most unsure of how this match was going to end. It was like the main attraction of a carnival or circus, except this was only the second round.

The only reason there was this much tension in the first place was simply because of _who_ was fighting. Anyone else and it might have been less nerve-wracking. All of the people in and outside the stadium had one question: _Who will win?_

My mind was racing with all of the potential moves the other could make. Counters to those moves, and counters to those counters. That's just how intense this match was, and it hadn't even started yet. Both had strong minds, and strong Quirks. Only fate or someone with a Quirk to see the future could know who was going to win this match.

"Both of these heroes in training have been front-runners in the Sport's Festival, but which one of them will advance to the next round? Prepare for... Midoriya versus Todoroki!" Both of them get into their respective stances, waiting for the signal. "BEGIN!"

With the drop of a hat, Todoroki sent forth a wave of ice at Izuku. With the mere flick of his finger, Izuku shattered it with the sheer force of the wind pressure. I grabbed my shoulders and rubbed my arms, the sudden blast of cold wind freezing me to the bone.

Looking down I could see Todoroki had set up a wall behind him. Most likely a precaution against Izuku's attacks. From the few matches he had been in, it seemed the force of his attacks always sent a gust of wind in the direction he aimed in. Setting up a support for himself was one of the smartest moves someone could probably take against Izuku and his Quirk.

"WOW! Midoriya managed to break Todoroki's insane opening move!" Present Mic explained.

Todoroki sent another wave of ice at Izuku, and just like before, Izuku sent off another blast of air to shatter it apart and send the cold air in the red and what-haired boy's direction. At this point, it was just going to be going and back and forth with attacks for these two until Izuku was out of limbs to use.

"He countered it again!"

"That looks so painful..." Hana said. She shuddered. "Why is he doing that to himself?"

"It's all he's got for now," I answered. "From what I've seen all Midoriya can do is unleash huge amounts of power, but the cost is breaking said appendage he uses. Todoroki wins his matches so quickly that there's no fixed style he resorts to when fighting."

"So the safest he can be is using his fingers, isn't it?" Iida asked me. Ochaco gave me a concerned look. I silently nodded.

I silently nodded as the same confrontation repeated, another gust of cold wind coming up. Any more of this and I felt like I'd become a mas-icle, something I feel some rather than a lot of people would be happy about me becoming.

"Oh no, crap! I'm missing it!" I heard Kirishima say, his voice adding to him running down the stairs to see the fight.

"Hey, nice job making it to the second round, Kirishima," Denki said.

"Thanks, man! Looks like I'll be taking on Bakugo next."

"I'll kill you." Bakugo cooly stated.

Kirishima chuckled. "Yeah, sure, in your dreams. But seriously it's crazy how you and Todoroki both have moves that blast the whole stadium. Mus be pretty nice!" He said sarcastically.

"Plus you don't have to pause between attacks," Sero stated.

"It's not as easy as you think, ya morons."

"Hey, I represent that remark! So does Denki!" I said, trying to make a joke about how perfect the opportunity was.

"If you overuse your muscles you risk tearing them apart. If your sprint too much you run out of breath. Our Quirks are physical abilities too. They can get worn out, you can't just use them non-stop." Bakugo explained, sounding a lot smarter than I took him for.

"Makes sense when you say it that way," Kirishima said. "Wonder if that's how Midoriya thinks he'll beat Todoroki."

"Either way, he's still got a limit, just like we all do," I added in, turning to look at Hana. Her fight had been a prime example of that. She nodded.

Once again Todoroki sent another wave of ice at Izuku, and once again he broke it apart by flicking one of his fingers. That was four times, meaning the four fingers on his right hand were no useless. I shuddered at the thought of how painful that had to be, scrunching up my shoulders in discomfort.

Unexpectedly Todoroki made a ramp of ice, charging right at Izuku while he recoiled from his latest attack. Just as Izuku let off an attack to destroy the ramp, Todoroki jumped into the air, dodging it. With a punch, he hit the ground where Izuku had been standing, the spot freezing.

Seeing he missed he made the ice rush towards Izuku. Without warning an even larger blast of air was sent out, completely covering anything that was in front of him. The only time I'd ever seen an amount of force like that was one of All Might's own punches... And the team battles when Izuku had fought Bakugo. Once the dust had settled Todoroki stood just a few feet from the boundary, an ice wall behind him.

Izuku had to have used his arm, whether it was left or right, to cause that sudden gust of wind. Once the icy mist cleared I could see his arm was bruised to all hell. The fact that it was purple made me happy I hadn't eaten too much, or I'd be running to the nearest trash can. Even if it was far away, it was still an unsettling sight.

Todoroki moved a piece of ice out of his way, standing up like the attack was nothing. Just like I had thought, he'd be one of the real challenges in this Tournament. In all aspects, he was good in each. Fighting, strategy, and decision-making on how to proceed with each attack he made.

Both Todoroki and Izuku stood still, looking at the other. Already I drew the conclusion that this match was going to go on for a bit longer. Izuku may have been injured, but nothing would stop him from doing his best. Meanwhile, Todoroki would most likely win, if not by a hair's width if Izuku really wanted to show what he was made of. Either way, you cut it, they both seemed to have a determination to win.

Another blast of ice headed towards Izuku, charging at him like a bull. "Whoa! Todorki continues his overwhelming attack! Could this be his finishing move!?" Present Mic shouted.

Just as it was about to hit Izuku, the ice broke. Nothing was left of the miniature glacier as it was blown to pieces by another blast of air, throwing Todoroki backward once again, except this time it caught him off-guard. He was almost knocked out of the ring, creating a flower-like ring around himself to stop his momentum.

Hana gasped and put her hands up to her mouth. "Why is he doing this to himself..."

I looked to see him reaching out with his right hand. It took me a second for it to click. "Jesus Christ..." I said as I realized he had flicked one of his already broken fingers.

"He has to be in so much pain... Right? He has to feel that..." Ashido said, her voice faintly shaky.

"He must have so much adrenaline that it doesn't matter. He's doing his best in this thing, like of all us." I stated while Todoroki ran at Midoriya.

He seemed slower than usual as he ran at the green-haired boy. Was it due to overuse of his Quirk? Or was it some sort of exhaustion like I felt when trying to ignore my limit? Todoroki jumped to strike, and Izuku took his fist, landing a solid punch to his stomach, knocking him away.

"A solid punch! That's the kind of action I like to see!" Present Mic cheered.

Izuku seemed to have felt the pain as he shook his arm like it was on fire as Todoroki got back up. Another blast of ice came at Izuku, only for him to dodge out of the way with its slow speed. Todoroki jumped in front of Izuku, both standing off before jumping away from each other with a flick and an icy blast.

They both continued to fight. Dodging each other's attacks and landing what hits they could. Anyone, student or Pro, could tell there was going to be a winner soon. The amount of exhaustion both of them displayed was enough evidence for that, but yet they still continued.

A solid headbutt from Izuku pushed Todoroki backward, putting them an equal distance from each other. Izuku wasted no time going in for another punch on Todoroki. He fell to the ground and proceeded to get back up, using his hand to steady himself. It was then I nearly fell out of my seat.

Todoroki erupted into flames, turning the stadium from cold to hot in a mere second. "Whoa... Is that...!?" Present Mic explained, most likely seeing Todoroki's flame side of his powers for the first time as well.

"He's using his fire!" Uraraka said as she tried to edge away from the heat.

What people didn't know was Todoroki's Quirks was "Half Cold, Half Hot". This allowed him to send forth large amounts of ice _and_ fire from his body. For some reason, he only ever used his ice side. But as I sat there with my mouth open in shock and excitement, I saw that I could've cared less. The power he had was something you'd see a hero in a story have, some unimaginable power that made that little child inside you come forward and smile in wonder.

The wonder of it all continued as I saw Todoroki use both his fire and ice, preparing for an attack. The wind began to whip around Izuku as he got into his own stance, ready to attack. My mind then snapped back to reality as I realized what was about to happen.

 _Cold air plus the sudden introduction of heat means... Shit!_

"Get down!" I said as I put my hands on the ground, making a wall cover us and Class 1-B with a wall of stone.

Even with that, it didn't stop the sudden explosion from making my eardrums pop as the following wind pressure blasted through the upper rows.

"This is crazy!" Denki shouted.

"What's happening down there!?" Yaoyorozu asked.

Once it died down, I let the wall sink back into the floor that it belonged to. Using the railing to stand myself up, I looked down to see the arena was utterly decimated by whatever impact the two had when they met.

"What happened just now? What the hell is up with your students..." Present Mic asked.

Aizawa answered in his usual monotone. "The air around the ring had been thoroughly cooled down, and then rapidly expanded when heated up."

"Wait, that's what caused the explosion?! How hot did that fire get?! Geez, I can't see a thing. Is the match still going on or what huh?" Present Mic asked.

We let out a collective gasp as we saw Todoroki standing there as the mist faded away. Izuku was on the whole other side, out of bounds. His body dropped to the ground, no doubt from exhaustion and the pain beginning to set in.

"Midoriya is... Out of bounds." Midnight said. She then cracked her whip. "Todoroki wins! He advances to the third round!"

* * *

MIDORIYA!" Most of us shouted once we were done running down to Recovery Girl's room for the Sport's Festival.

We walked, in Uraraka and Iida being in the front. I wanted to keep it that way since they were his closest friends. Beside me was Mineta, Hana, and Tsuyu. Yet what drew my eyes wasn't Izuku on the medical bed with a cast on his leg and both of his arms, but the scraggly blonde-haired man in a suit and tie next to his bed.

Was it his dad maybe?

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Uraraka said to him, giving him a small bow. Did she assume the same thing I did?

"Yeah." He said.

"I'm sorry but he's in no state for visitors." Recovery Girl stated, sounding a bit angry. It was then Izuku spoke up.

"Hey guys, shouldn't you be watching the matches?" He asked, his voice sounding like he'd been through hell. With how he looked, I didn't blame him.

"The stage was far too damaged," Iida said, using his thumb and hand to point in its general direction behind him. "They're taking a quick break to repair it now."

"That match was the single scariest thing I've seen in my life Midoriya," Mineta said while shaking. "What Pro is gonna want a sidekick that hurts himself?"

"Yeah, you guys did a number on it," I said, laughing to try and get at least some sort of smile from him.

We were both giving a tongue lashing by Tsuyu. The wetness of her tongue and the force made me rub the back of my head.

"Ow!" We both said.

"Now your just rubbing salt in his wounds." Tsuyu said, a hint of anger in her voice.

"I was just speaking the truth!" He shouted.

"You're all much too noisy! I know you're worried but I've got to focus on surgery now!" Recovery Girl said as she closed the curtain.

"SURGERY!?" We shouted in surprise.

I knew he wasn't looking that good but damn... For Recovery Girl herself to have to do surgery on him...

"Go on, get out of here." She said, corraling us out of the room.

"He'll be fine right?" I asked along with the others as we were moved out of the room, and the door closed and locked in front of us.

Things didn't seem to stop there as footsteps sounded down the hallway. Dread entered my heart as I saw the last two people I wanted to see at this moment. My dad's uncharacteristic blonde hair and my mom's tan skin just like my own were all too familiar to see.

"Oh no..." I said as they smiled once they realized it was me there with everyone else.

"Mason, honey!" My mom shouted as she hurried over, all too happy to see me for the first time since after the Obstacle Course.

* * *

 **A/N: Took me two weeks, three plates of Thanksgiving, and a whole bunch more to get this chapter to a point where I found it satisfying. That is a good question though, why is it Mason was so defensive of Ashido? Well, we know, but Mr. Rock-For-Brains don't want to make that conclusion. Review time! We got a lot to go through.**

 **Dark White Fang: Yes I am a tease.**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh poor Chikara never saw it coming. Poor idiot should've thought of something different to say.**

 **61394: I might actually use tomato bangs as a reference, thanks for the idea. By the way, what's the overall opinion on Justice League? Haven't seen it yet.**

 **SuperedX: Never insult the best girl!**

 **Raidentensho: Still wondering what I should do for the internship arc coming up. Cementoss is up there, but I also got some of my own ideas as well. Some rather _cool_ ideas I should say.**

 **GreenD109: Once again, Chikara NEVER SAW IT COMIIIIIING! Sorry, Persona references are best references.**

 **Some one you don't want to mess with: I'm hurrying! Part of that last chapter was to create suspense and it definitely worked.**

 **one step behind: Mason's dad becoming a teacher is up for people to speculate. As for the Nighteye thing, I was trying to foreshadow that LATER part of the manga with what's going on. Now as for Pixie-Bob, I DO have some stuff in mind since they have similar Quirks. No doubt there will be some training there.**

 **As for being a tease, I am both sorry for having to leave all of you readers on a cliffhanger like that, but happy I was able to get the desired reaction from you all. As for the next chapter though, let's say it'll be... An explosion.**

 **SNEAK PEEK TIMES!**

 **"What is that bird-brain doing?!"**

 **"Heh, looks like Mason has his own cheerleaders!"**

 **"Even that Deku knew long before I found it out."**

 **"That's- Come on, Ashido!"**

 **Oh, next chapter is gonna be another long one. Oh boy, my fingers...**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Last minute update! Uploading this chapter early today instead of tomorrow as I have my SATs! In short, a college test... thing... I'm gonna busy! So instead of my usual 5:30 pm upload, today will be a five, as I got one hell of a study night behind me. Hope you all love the chapter, and have a good day!**

* * *

There are many things I think everyone is afraid of. Bees, dogs, cats, birds, snakes, hell even mice. My fear currently was my own mom running at me and lifting me into the air, my back feeling like it was a bag of popcorn popping in the microwave.

Behind me, I could hear a mix of reactions. Uraraka and Iida both shocked at what was going on, the sound of Mineta getting smacked by Tsuyu's tongue, and Hana freaking out about the sounds my back was making. Meanwhile, my dad was trying to catch up, just as happy to see me.

"Skylar! Your gonna break the poor boy's back if you keep that up!"

My mom turned around to look at him, tears in her eyes. "I can't help it! I'm so proud of my little boy!"

"So am I, but I think you should at least let him breathe a bit..." My dad said, pointing at me having a hard time breathing.

I was dropped back down onto the ground, gasping for air. Surprisingly my back actually felt better than before after being hugged by my mom. The thing about my mom at these sort of events was she got extremely emotional. I didn't even want to think how much of a mess she'd be when I graduated from U.A.

"N-nice to meet you t-two again. I'm Hanakabe K-Kennagasa." Hana said, greeting my mom and dad.

"You." My mom said, her voice low and dead, switching to one that was filled to the brim with happiness. "Thank you for falling for my boy! Is it too early to call you my daughter-in-law? Ah, you two are so cute when I think about it! I knew you and my son had something the moment I saw you and Ashido in the nurse's office with him! 'Just a friend' my butt!"

"Wow, you're Mom sure is energetic Mason." Tsuyu said.

"Oh, these some of your friends Mason?" My mom asked.

"I think they are. I remember that short purple kid getting socked by the robot in the Obstacle Cou-" My dad was cut off as my mom took her elbow and jabbed it in his stomach.

"Don't make fun of the poor kid! He was trying his hardest!"

"A saint! By all that's holy she's a saint!" Mineta said, tears of joy coming from his eyes.

"Ow... But... You laughed too honey." My dad said, earning him another elbow jab.

"I'm trying to boost his confidence jackass!" My mom shouted with her angrier side showing. Hana and Tsuyu both looked at me with concern.

"What? This is normal."

"How is that normal?!" They both shouted.

I couldn't think of an honest answer to provide so I just shrugged with a smile on my face. "I just have a weird family."

"Anyhow, I guess when ya look at it Hana won't have to meet us now, will she? Since she technically has now haha!" My dad said followed with a deep laugh. "Man, walking around really brings me back to when I used to go here. The nostalgia..."

"Wait, your dad used to go here?!" Hana, Tsuyu, and Mineta all said, shocked.

"Wait, you used to go here too? I thought you Aizawa, and Mic just stayed in touch. You said you guys had been friends since middle school." I asked, surprised my dad went to U.A. just like I was right now. He'd never mentioned it to me at all, neither had Aizawa.

"That's a story for another day. Now, would you mind if we just talked to Mason and Hana or a bit? Just some family stuff."

"No problem. Just don't miss the matches, Mason!" Tsuyu said as she walked back to the seats with Mineta.

Once they were finally out of earshot my mom and dad brought me and Hana into a huddle. I was actually surprised to see them go from calm to frantic in a flat second. "Okay, fill us in on everything, because it was only just now I realized who you are dating." My dad said, his voice making it sound like this was the single most terrifying moment in his life.

"Where should I start?" I asked my parents.

* * *

"So you're not dating but pretending to so a boy she's engaged to will buzz off. You've both sorted all this out and put aside the fact your father indirectly killed her mother," My mom gave my dad a side glance that made him flinch and step back. "And tomorrow you plan to tell everyone that you were faking so said guy you're facing _this round_ won't bother her so the guy won't get ganged up on by everyone in your class. Anything I'm missing?" My mom asked, massaging her temples.

"Not that I can think of," I replied.

"We're sorry for the false pretense Miss Ishi." Hana gave a bow. "Mason was the only one I felt I could trust, and-"

My mom put up her tan hand to stop her from talking any further. "Don't apologize, just trying to process all this. Dear, why is it Mason inherited YOUR LUCK OF GETTING INTO COMPLEX SITUATIONS!?"

"Sorry, honey. Listen if anyone feels bad right now, it's me. I hurt a lot of people during that incident five years ago, but to actually meet someone I indirectly had a part in killing their mother... M-my mind isn't in the best of shape right now. I'm so sorry for the hell I've put you through Hanakabe." My dad made a deep bow, his blonde hair falling down along with his head.

"Don't apologize, you didn't know until now," Hana said. "I didn't even know Mason was your son until now, or that his father was Terrarizer. Part of me _is_ angry at all that... But I won't let something like that ruin the fact Mason is one of the best friends I could ask for. You truly raised him well."

Dad stood back up. "And I'm glad to see he's got friends like you and those others to rely on."

"Speaking of Dad," I asked. "How did you know they were in my class?"

His face turned red and he began to sweat bullets. "Well, ya see... Remember those 'special circumstances' about my release son? I'm not allowed to say much, but don't be surprised when you see me at your school..."

"Wait what do you-"

"Just to let everyone know, you may want to get back to your seats! Big thanks to Cementoss for fixing up the ring for us after that last match! Boy, was it a hot one!"

"That's your cue, Mason. Do good out there." My dad said before giving me a hug. "And don't go out of your way to make me proud. Seeing you making clear you're your own person is enough." He then took my mom's hand and went the other way, putting his fist into the air with his back to me. "Show them you're not just a Villain's son, but Mason Ishi! Got it!?"

"Got it!" I shouted, trying to not let the tears in my eyes show.

* * *

My right fist dropped as I and Skylar went back to the seats for the civilians watching the Sports Festival. Her grip was tight as ever, just like when I first asked her out when I was younger. No doubt Mason was holding back tears like I was, albeit he was probably having a more difficult time.

"He's grown so damn much since I was gone," I said, wiping the tears from my eyes once I knew I was out of Mason's sight.

"I know," Skylar said, laughing a bit. Her voice shook as she spoke though. "I remember holding him in the hospital, and now..." She sniffed. "He's gone through so much to do what you asked. The fights he's been in, getting into U.A. against all the odds... Where did the time go, Jishin?" She asked, leaning on my shoulder.

I put my hand on her head and kissed it. "I don't know. All I know is I'm so damn proud of him. Proud of all the shit he's done despite having a father like me who's shadow he was thrown in."

I looked at my left hand, the very hand that had been cradling his head when he was born. He was so fragile and small. Something that I felt the instinct to protect no matter what. That same small baby had grown to be a young man that made my heart swell with pride.

Was this what being a father felt like? If so it was worth it. I never knew my own father, but despite that, I knew he felt this same connection as I had with Mason. As the caretakers at the orphanage had when I myself had applied to U.A.

My heart was overwhelmed with how Mason had grown from being that small baby who spoke his first words to a man that wanted to be a hero for the people. People who may have hurt him in the past. People who shunned him for me being his father. Yet if this feeling of happiness to the point of crying was the result every time, I'd do it again.

And again.

And again.

Anything for what I had now.

Yet I was concerned. Mason had a look of anger in his eyes when Skylar mentioned that Chikara boy. No doubt there was a grudge between the two, yet I had hope. Hope that my son wouldn't let that anger take control of him and do something like what I did five years ago.

Once we reached the door leading to the seats we both wiped our eyes to get rid of the fact we were crying. We were proud parents, yes. But don't think we did it because we didn't want other adults to see us crying.

We did it because it was what Mason did everytime he stood up for us, and we would too for him. He didn't know it, but he was going to be in the fight for his life down the road. If Sir Nighteye's look into All Might's future was right, It seemed my son would have a bigger burden to bear.

"Hey, buddy! Long time no see!" A medium-toned voice said.

Me and my wife both turned to see somebody I hadn't see in forever. A smile grew on my face seeing his familiar black braided hair, along with the skiing goggles he always wore, along with the out of season winter jacket with a fur collar.

"Kuzan Fubuki, aren't you supposed to be in the section cut off for the Heroes?"

"That I am Jishin Ishi, but the word around is a certain someone got out of jail thanks to a certain principal." He said before sitting down. "Plus, I like to get to know the parents of possible interns."

"So I take it you're interested in Mason?" I asked, switching to a serious tone. Catching up with old friends could wait later.

"He definitely has a strong Quirk, just like you and Skylar. Still, that's only on paper. I feel we both need to see his execution of it in order to know where to proceed from." He took off his goggles, showing his ice blue eyes. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Turning I gave a chuckle. "Just get ready, _I_ trained him after all." Skylar nudged me with her elbow into my rib. " _We_ trained him." I corrected.

"He definitely was. Especially with that Pool move. Reminds me of the time you scored four balls in with one shot." Kuzan shifted around in the chair and unzipped the jacket. "Still, does he has some original tricks or just ones he read out of a book?"

* * *

The matches in the second round seemed to go by a lot quicker than the first few as I sat down with Hana having her own arm looped into mine. Even though my parents knew of the false relationship we were putting up, we still needed to keep it up for our classmates.

After Todoroki and Izuku's match was Iida and Shoizaki. He'd been able to stay ahead of the 1-B student's vines by using his legs to speed around and dodge them with ease. He didn't even have to attack her. He won by getting behind her and pushing her out of bounds by the smallest bit.

Next up had been Tokoyami and Ashido. Sadly Ashido had lost just as Yaoyorozu had by being forced to step out of the ring for any maneuverability. The more I saw his Dark Shadow in use, the more it made me think about what possible measures I could put up to beat him. Though that would require me to get even the smallest bit close to him...

Yet out of all the ones, Bakugo's and Kirishima's was the most... Normal I guess you could say. Hardening versus Explosions made for an interesting battle as I watched the two fight it out, both being on an almost equal playing field.

Kirishima had taken an explosion from Bakugo, head on, showing no signs of being hurt or slowing down. He pressed on with his punches, making Bakugo back up to avoid getting hit. To be honest I felt like Bakugo was going to lose with how it was now a defensive fight. Even if he did land a hit, it'd just be nothing but a tap on the shoulder for Kirishima. It was kind of amusing to watch.

It quickly turned back in his favor as he dodged to the side, letting off an explosion to the red hair's rib-cage area. Quickly he blasted him with both of hands, and the switched to a rapid-fire style. All that could be seen of Kirishima were bits of resistance in the fire unleashing from Bakugo's own hands.

With a final strike, he ended the match, making Kirishima fall to the ground exhausted.

"Kirishima has been knocked out! Bakugo is the winner!" Midnight announced.

"With that vicious carpet bombing, Bakugo advances to the third round! But don't get ahead of yourselves ladies and gentleman, we still got one last fight to go before we look at our finalist! Get to your positions people, you got five minutes until the next match starts!" Present Mic shouted.

With that, I got up and headed to the waiting room to prepare myself, and to get some water. My nerves were all over the place as I went down the stairs. Even the stray dirt began to circle around me as I walked.

 _I'm just a mess now, aren't I?_ I thought to myself, chuckling nervously.

* * *

Those five minutes of waiting were some of the worst in my life. I paced around the waiting room like a caged tiger, the dirt following me like a lost puppy. Even if I wanted to I couldn't sit down and just deal with how nervous I was.

My opponent was Chikara. He had beat Hana, who's very Quirk was made for not being breakable, yet he broke them apart like a wine-glass. I could control the ground, yeah, but what was that going to fucking do!? Along with Todoroki, Bakugo, and Izuku, he was another one of the students who had torn apart the ring without even a second thought. How could I stand up against that?!

 _Listen, let's think here Mason. What exactly does he do? We've seen him in action enough times to make a general assumption we can branch off from._ I thought to myself.

From what I had seen he was able to send out some kind of force. In a way, it was like invisible Bakugo-type explosions. Which when I thought about that it terrified me more than I already was. If he was able to blow away Hana, he could blow me away just as easily.

 _What can I even do to stand up against his Quirk?!_

The stress began to melt away as my instincts kicked in. I was a fighter at heart and was far from being an idiot. I needed to calm down and think about this rationally. You couldn't be a hero if you let something like a villain's Quirk intimidate you.

I had to improvise.

From what I had seen Chikara's Quirk had to do with literal force, like pushing. Yet he was also able to break Hana's barriers, something that not even my own weapons could do. He was the perfect counter to people like me, Hana, Cementoss, and Todoroki's ice side. We all controlled some sort of _solid_ material. It was at that moment my whole brain clicked once I realized the answer.

A loud smack sound was made as I slapped my face at how dumb I was. Here I was acting like a chicken with its head cut off when the answer was following right behind me! The amount of stupidity I thought I was capable of surprised even me, and that was saying something.

 _If his Quirk is more based on breaking a solid object, then something like water would be a problem, right? You can't break something if it can just reform right on the spot. Then again, I don't know if he has a ranged attack up his sleeve just in case he needs the room. Unless he's within twenty feet of me, I can't do anything._

It was then that the door opened up, Midnight in the doorway. "Time to get ready for the match. Do good out there!" She said before her face turned into one of concern. "Relax! Ae you that nervous?!"

"Extremely," I said plainly, getting myself ready as I stretched. "But I'll be okay."

"Well, you better get heading out now. See you out there Ishi." The umpire said before leaving.

Doing the same I exited the door, and take the pathway leading into the stadium. My nerves melted away as my eyes were met with the bight light of the afternoon sun. People were cheering all over, and the flames for the ring were blazing bright red and orange.

All I could feel was my body and muscles kicking into overdrive, ready for the match.

"Holy crap! Why is there so much tension in the air!?" Present Mic shouted, sounding afraid. "I'll tell you why! This last match of the round is between two powerhouses that might give the other a run for their money! He confirmed in the first round he's no pushover, making sure to break what he touches into pieces! From Class 1-B in the Hero Course, Kossetsu Chikara!"

As we both walked up to face opposite from each other, I could see his hands weren't in his pockets like last time when he faced Hana. Instead, he had the cockiest smirk ever, his yellow eyes making it their job to intimidate me. His red hair was flying all over as a breeze came through the arena.

"And for our other competitor! So far getting into Fourth Place has been the norm for him, but that doesn't mean he isn't ready to rock the place! Give it up for Class 1-A's Mason Ishi!"

We both walked up to each other, about ten feet between us. My hands were balled up into fists as the crowd cheered. I could even make out some calls of my name, the loudest being my own parents, which made me look to see them looking right at me from the crowd, holding a big banner with my name on it.

Chikara looked behind and then chuckled. "Well, aren't they quite proud of you. Too bad they'll have to watch you get _broken_ in this match."

"Think you got it backward." I cracked my knuckles along with my neck. "You're gonna be losing this tomato bangs."

As soon as I issued the insult I had created specifically for him his condescending smile turned into an angered snarl. "I hope you can fight unlike that pink bimbo of a friend you have."

"Ready... BEGIN!"

Once he began to run at me I stomped my foot quicker than I could process. Chikara's body flew away from me, rolling until he got to his knees. I didn't know what was going on, but one thing was for sure.

"What was that?"

I was pissed.

* * *

 **A/N: Chikara you dumb motherfucker. Why. Why would you say that!? The plot, that's why. Mason v. Chikara is a fight I've been waiting to write out for such a damn long time! Hopefully, I can do it the justice of writing it well. Oh, the suspense is killing me! Let's head to the reviews because I gotta write this thing soon!**

 **pokemongking0924: I know we're all waiting to see how they react to Mason's parents. Now that I think about it, the only other parents we get to see are Izuku's mom, and [cesored for spoilers] mom and dad. It also felt good to finally have Hana show her face now, scars and all. After all, it isn't the scars we learn from, but the experience that caused them.**

 **Celestial Stratos: Sadly by this time I already have the fight written out. As for smashing his bones to pieces, no. What he does do is just as satisfying though.**

 **61394: Are you referring to everyone talking as Izuku vs Todoroki happened, or what Todoroki and Izuku were saying to each other? I feel its the second, and to answer, no. Because not once is it mentioned so far that they _did_ hear the whole exchange.**

 **Guest: In a different scenario, Mason possibly could beat Bakugo. Sadly Bakugo doesn't seem to hold back, even if it is a Sports Festival. Poor Uraraka...**

 **YumiKnowsBest: Glad to know you love reading this story. though Mason may be able to reach the top, in a way.**

 **Sneak peek time!**

 **"Holy crap! That was quite the attack! Looks like Mason isn't messing around one bit this time around!"**

 **"Jeez kid, you really need to learn some restraint."**

 **"That's g-gonna hurt..."**

 **Get ready for the fight you've been waiting for people! Stone vs. Force, who will win?**


	27. Chapter 27

Rage is one of the most fearsome weapons in any creatures arsenal. A bull when it sees red and charges, people when their country is attacked, angering anything alive is usually a hornet's nest of trouble. Chikara had pretty much messed with the hornet's nest, the nest being me in this case. He had said one thing that I wasn't going to let slide.

You could hit.

You could stab me.

You could take a gun, press it to my head and pull the trigger just to make a point to the world.

But call one of the people I cared most about a derogatory term like "bimbo", someone who was my friend, was the same as waging war against a country. The country being me as I took my foot and slammed it, causing the rock to rush at him like an enraged bull.

"Holy crap! That was quite the attack! Looks like Mason isn't messing around one bit this time around!" Present Mic said.

Wasting no time I held both my hands out, creating stone nightsticks in both. Jumping forward, I brought them both down as Chikara rolled out of the way. I backed up, making sure to stay out of his way if he decided to let off a blast.

He happened to do just that, punching with his fist and making me slide back. I threw both nightsticks at him, controlling their movement and making them miss him. The smile on his face showed he took the bait when they completely missed him.

"Too mad to throw properly?" He said smirking.

That same smirk disappeared as they came back and hit him on their way back to my hands. If I was going to beat him, I'd need to do it quickly and avoid letting him touch me, or my weapons. As I ran at him he stepped to the side and was suddenly behind me. The pain went through my back as I was sent across the ring, my fingers digging into the concrete, my trying to get a handhold by turning the ground into a clay-like material.

 _Shit! He can boost his speed and attacks just like Bakugo!_ I thought to myself.

With how he used his Quirk to maneuver himself and boost his kick, it was like fighting a combination of Bakugo and Iida. Even more, he had hit me just out of my general range, meaning my Boomerang technique wouldn't work.

"Nice trick, too bad it didn't do much except for giving me a reason to make this match longer just so I can knock you out of Hana's sight."

"Try it then," I said, my voice still making me sound angry. "Won't get you far."

I stood up, creating a stone staff. Once that was done I put out my left hand, some stray rocks floating over to me and floating in the air. Taking my staff, I lifted it up and thrust forward, shooting them all towards him at once. They turned into sand once they were out of my range but still flew into him with enough force to hurt.

The cloud of sand around him was perfect as I raced towards him, using the staff to propel myself into the air. Pole vaulting wasn't really my thing, but for now, it was. Once I fell back down, I changed the staff into a hammer, swinging downwards.

Just as I was about to move the sand to find where he was and hit, I was blasted back up into the air. The breath was knocked out of me, my stomach feeling like a football was kicked into it. Panic set in as I realized I didn't have a landing strategy. Hitting the ground would leave me open to a simple blast out of bounds.

Something then went by me.

I turned my head to see Chikara above me, bringing his leg down right on my chest.

Forget breathing. Once I hit the concrete floor, my entire back was in pain as I tried to stand up, only for my body to only focus on the pain spreading all over. What pissed me off, even more, I could hear him chuckling as he walked over.

 _He's like Bakugo...! Except his explosions are invisible and don't burn... not to mention more accurate..._

"Still want to go, Convict's Son? Have to say, I was expecting _A LOT_ more than this. Couldn't even take a little kick, could you? Seems all you have going for you is your personality, huh?" Hearing him talk made me attempt to get up, struggling to even place my arms or move my legs. Everywhere hurt as I attempted to even move a finger. "So, what is it Hana sees in you exactly? You're like a worm crawling around! Just like a filthy worm criminal of a father you have, huh? Like father like son is right."

All I could see at that moment was sand. The whole ring exploded as sand covered the whole place like a sandstorm. I stood up, feeling it cover my own exposed skin. Present Mic's voice was drowned out.

Without even thinking of creating the staff as I spun around and swung it right in his chest. The sand disappeared, the entire ring changed as it formed a stone wasteland. I gave the staff a spin, sprinting over to Chikara as he went to stand up from the attack.

With the staff, I proceeded to rapidly jab at him. Sometimes he'd block it, or use his Quirk to blow it up and only to see it reform. He went in for a punch, knocking me away as he shot more at me. By some instinct, I moved out of the way, a crater now where I had previously stood. The rage I felt wasn't something you'd see with countless punches and bloodied fist.

Mine was calmer. Going ahead with the fight with the main goal of winning and taking them out. To Chikara it would've seemed like I was in some sort of trance, but in the reality, I was so angry I didn't even bother to show it on my face.

Not after all the shit he said, no way was I going to let that slide.

I wanted to kick his ass more than anything right now, and I was.

For once I was in close combat with him, exchanging blows with my staff and his own fists and feet. Once again I spun, going for an overhead strike on his shoulder. He staggered back, holding it with a grimace on his face.

"There we are." He smiled. "Now I see why! You're a better fighter than you let on. Quite skilled in Bojutsu aren't we? Don't see that often, even in the movies. Usually swords," He punched with his own, hitting my staff and blowing it apart into sand. "Or their own hands!" As he shouted it, he put both hands on my chest at twelve and six and blasted me with his Quirk. The smile on his face died once he saw I didn't move, only the sound of stone cracking.

"What the hell..."

Taking my right hand, I made a fist, and let off a right cross. The force made him spin around, stumbling to regain his balance. My arm grew lighter as the sand fell off my skin, and back into my hand for a small nightstick.

"Would you like to know what happened? False Hardening, I like to call it," I stated. "I can make the sand settle on my skin similar to Tetsutetsu's Steel, and Kirishima's own Hardening. Sadly it isn't as durable." I pointed my weapon at him. "Your Quirk has something to do with an actual force I take it? Sort of like a shockwave."

Chikara wiped his mouth, a small line of blood dripping down. His red hair seemed to be losing it's slicked back look. "Took you... long... enough..." He took a deep breath, his voice rattling. "Guess I can't... hold back... anymore..." He held up his hands, the air looking to shake like a heat mirage. "End it... If you care about that girl of yours so much. If you're more than the son of a villain. Least you can do is finish this since I started it."

"Gladly," I said, having the sand float in the air around me.

It was almost like an armor as it formed around my forearms and biceps, my thighs and calves. Of all my techniques, this one was the most suited for this situation. My "Number Two Technique", the Sand Piston.

The idea behind it was covering your main limbs and not the actual parts of your body that would hit somebody. In lamen's terms, I was able to use my Earth Manipulation to move my limbs faster than having to swing them. The drawback was they were heavier if I tried to swing normally. I'd have to use my own telekinetic control to move them, not just rely on my own physical strength.

We both ran into each other and began what was a close second to the slugfest of Tetsutetsu and Kirishima's match. Each of our hits was probably stronger than we thought the other's would be. I didn't respect him if that's what you think. Each hit he got on me made me want to hit him even harder than the one that made contact with my skin.

Bringing back my leg I brought my knee to his stomach as he blasted me point blank, breaking the stone around my limbs. I hit the wall of the circle I put around us, and he charged at me. Quickly I put my hand on the wall, a stone fist shooting out at him.

He dodged it, buying me time to create another stone staff. I planned to make this my last attack, no matter what. Using my right hand I had it float by me, spinning faster and faster. It seemed Chikara had the same idea as he began to bring his arm back, ready to let off what would be his own last attack.

Once I was about to be just a foot away from Chikara, I switched the staff to my left, moving just as Chikara punched. My staff stopped spinning as I grabbed it, using the momentum to jab into him, the end exploding into sand and dirt.

He stumbled back, clearly not falling down. Just as I planned. With a final push, I had the dirt and sand form a gauntlet for my right and swung with my all of my remaining strength into his stomach and then into an uppercut. With another thought I had the stone explode into sand, adding more force to punch as it was shot forward, lifting him even further into the air. I could hear the breath being forced out of him as I lifted him up into the air, and let him drop back down with a heavy drop of his body.

My arm dropped down like a sack of potatoes, my whole body feeling heavy as I realized it was over.

With one last punch, I had been able to defeat Chikara.

The circle around us faded back into the concrete, Midnight running over to see the victor. After a quick look at Chikara and checking to see if he'd get back up, she cracked her whip at me. "The winner of the match... Is... MASON ISHI! He shall proceed to the semi-finals!"

"YOU HEAR THAT?! HE WON! MY NEPHEW WON! YOU SEE THAT SHOTA!?" Present Mic shouted, making me chuckle.

"Not subtle in the least, is he?" Midnight asked me, smiling.

I turned around and shrugged. "Kinda hard when your Quirk is being loud." I made a small laugh, realizing I made a joke without meaning it.

Once it was over I began to head back to the entrance to the stadium. For some reason, I looked over to where Class 1-A was seated and saw Hana and Ashido both cheering their hearts out along with Izuku and Uraraka and Iida. Looking at Ashido I clenched my fist.

 _It was clear he was trying to provoke me, but why?_ _Why did hearing him say that about Ashido piss me off so much? Is Hana right about me liking her? Or could it just be wanting to stand up for my friends?_

The whole way to the seats, that was all I thought about. Sure out of everyone I liked being around her and Hana, but for some reason, there was a sort of attraction like I was a piece of metal being drawn in by a magnet. Did I like her more than a friend?

Even if I did, it wouldn't change anything. She was someone I'd care for, always. It was the one thing that kept me going as I made my way to the stands, my head feeling like one of my own stone hammers was hitting it.

 _Don't pass out, don't pass out. Just a small headache is all..._ I kept telling myself as I walked. Only when I was inside I sat down on the stairs. Nothing else I could possibly remember happened, except for my vision becoming blurry and loud footsteps.

* * *

 _"Jeez kid, you really need to learn some restraint."_

* * *

I had to have been extremely tired to not even remember being brought up to the stands. All I knew was I was on the ground, my head in somebody's lap. Looking up I wasn't surprised to see it was Hana, her face all too bright red once she saw I was awake.

"He's alive!" I heard Kirishima shout, along with him running over. "That was so damn awesome! I've never seen such a manly fight like it!"

"Was I really that strong?" I asked, looking up at Hana.

She nodded. "You were g-great! You were m-moving so fast t-too! Midoriya had t-to use three pencils just to keep up. Also, can you please get up? You d-don't have to, but..."

From how Hana was acting I could tell that any other time resting my head on her lap would've been fine. In front of everyone else in our class though, not so much. Any redder and she would've matched the same shade Kirishima's own red hair was. Despite that, I decided to stay right there and enjoy how comfortable having my head on her lap was.

"I think I'll stay here a bit longer... Hana." I closed my eyes with a smile, Hana's short-circuiting getting a rise out of Kirishima.

"She might be your girlfriend-" Kirishima tried to say while laughing hysterically, "But I think that's a bit too much!"

"Oh, my." I could hear Yaoyorozu say.

It was then I realized that everyone in the class was there. My own greed of wanting to stay where I was was just digging me and Hana a deeper hole in faking our relationship. Even my back was shivering.

Wait. Why was I shivering?

Slowly I opened my eyes to see Hana's filled with murder. Quickly I sprang up and moved to the opposite side, scared of how much she probably wanted to beat me to a pulp. She cracked her knuckles, Bakugo looking surprised as he quickly looked back and forth between us. He looked at me, and then back to the match that was going on, a smile on his face.

"Reap what you sow asshole." He said. Was he enjoying this!?

"That's rich coming from-" My face felt a pressure on it, stopping me from talking.

A purple barrier from Hana made an impact on my face, squishing up against it and cutting me off from making a remark at Bakugo. Hana walked up, and spoke, her voice between soft as velvet, and sharp like a knife.

"I'll get you back later." She said, tapping my forehead before heading back to her seat, patting the one next to her. "Until then, you should get ready for the next match. Iida and Todoroki are currently fighting."

Quickly I scrambled to stand up and looked over to see the two fighting. This was definitely a fight I never thought I'd see unless we were training or they were actually _chosen_ to face off. Speed versus ice and fire, not a match you'd see every day. The question was would Iida win by maneuvering, or Todoroki with his overwhelming attacks?

I had missed some of the fights, but it seemed things had picked up as Iida jumped into the air, going for a kick to Todoroki's head. Todoroki dodged by a hair no doubt or possibly got clipped by it.

 _Makes sense. His Quirk doesn't just increase his speed, with those legs he could probably break a door in half with no problem._ I thought to myself.

Iida turned around and went for another kick, moving as soon as he hit the ground. It connected, hitting Todoroki into the ground. Behind me, Hana made a pained wince as Present Mic remarked on how fast Iida executed the move.

"Look at that speed!"

"That's g-gonna hurt..." She said, covering her mouth with concern.

As soon as she mentioned that my own skull began to throb. Just the thought of the pain made me a bit uncomfortable. It didn't stop Todoroki though, he took advantage of his crouched position as he sent another wave of ice at the speedster.

With another jump, Iida grabbed him by the shirt and ran with him in the direction of the other side of the ring. It seemed he was actually going to win until he stopped just beyond the edge, and frozen up to his neck in a chunk of ice. Todoroki stood up, holding his head.

"Iida is immobilized! Todorki advances!" Midnight announced.

"Todorki advances without even having to use his flames again!" Present Mic remarked. "This kid is amazing! He might even be the winner for all we know!"

* * *

 **A/N: Took me two weeks, three plates of Thanksgiving, and a whole bunch more to get this chapter to a point where I found it satisfying. that is a good question though, why is it Mason was so defensive of Ashido? Well, we know, but Mr. Rock-For-Brains don't want to make that conclusion. Review time! We got a lot to got through.**

 **Dark White Fang: Yes I am a tease.**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh poor Chikara never saw it coming. Poor idiot should've thought of something different to say.**

 **61394: I might actually use tomato bangs as a reference, thanks for the idea. By the way, what's the overall opinion on Justice League? Haven't seen it yet.**

 **SuperedX: Never insult the best girl!**

 **Raidentensho: Still wondering what I should do for the internship arc coming up. Cementoss is up there, but I also got some of my own ideas as well. Some rather _cool_ ideas I should say.**

 **GreenD109: Once again, Chikara NEVER SAW IT COMIIIIIING! Sorry, Persona references are best references.**

 **Some one you don't want to mess with: I'm hurrying! Part of that last chapter was to create suspense and it definitely worked.**

 **one step behind: Mason's dad becoming a teacher is up for people to speculate. As for the Nighteye thing, I was trying to foreshadow that LATER part of the manga with what's going on. Now as for Pixie-Bob, I DO have some stuff in mind since they have similar Quirks. No doubt there will be some training there.**

 **As for being a tease, I am both sorry for having to leave all of you readers on a cliffhanger like that, but happy I was able to get the desired reaction from you all. As for the next chapter though, let's say it'll be... An explosion.**

 **SNEAK PEEK TIMES!**

 **"What is that bird-brain doing?!"**

 **"Heh, looks like Mason has his own cheerleaders!"**

 **"Even that Deku knew long before I found it out."**

 **"That's- Come on, Ashido!"**

 **Oh, next chapter is gonna be another long one. Oh boy, my fingers...**


	28. Chapter 28

Once again I was in the waiting room. It was only a few minutes before the match was going to begin, and once again I was nervous as each second led up to my next match. This time it wasn't just those "pre-show" jitters some people would get before a play, oh no.

The person I was fighting was one of the most terrifying in the school. To be honest, though, this was the final three we were talking about. Either way, I was screwed with who the wheel picked.

Bakugo and Todoroki actually happened to have multiple things in common. Both were powerhouses, gifted with Quirks that were practically god-like in comparison to others. Even the fact they both strategized and knew exactly how to fight against their opponents in the most efficient way possible, despite one being far more aggressive than the other.

Shaking my head, I laughed as I remembered how I had gotten into this whole situation.

* * *

"And now Bakugo versus Tokoyami! Bakugo's explosions are unstoppable!" Present Mic roared, infecting the crowd as they cheered on as the fight progressed.

Tokoyami had Dark Shadow active, the pitch-black creature's yellow eyes going wide as it was blasted by Bakugo as he swiped his hand down on it. Bakugo didn't stop as he pressed forward, letting off, even more, fiery blasts from his hands.

"Tokoyami has advanced this far with his almost unbeatable Quirk!" The announcer stated. "But this time it looks like he's on the ropes!"

Ashido rose up her hands up and down in frustration. "What is that bird-brain doing?! He had no trouble beating us!"

Next to her Yaoyorozu nodded, her fingers on her chin in a thinking position. "There must be a reason..."

I looked at the two and then back to the match. They were right, up until now Tokoyami had no problem with his opponents, and that wasn't because they weren't a match for him. Ashido and Yaoyorozu both had Quirks that could compete with anyone, so why was he on the defensive so much?

At that moment a random thought popped into my head. I had played a video game once where vampires were able to use shadow-like abilities, but those same overpowered abilities were weak in sunlight or any other light source.

Could this be the same thing, or was it I was trying to connect the dots too much?

Jumping into the air Bakugo put his hands behind him, using his explosions to boost his speed as he went for Tokoyami. In response, Dark Shadow went to attack Bakugo, only for it to meet another blast to the face, and Bakugo going further into the air.

"Wow! Bakugo leaped over Tokoyami!"

The ashy-blonde boy landed on his feet putting his hands close to one another as if he had gone to clap and stopped just before his hands were going to meet. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow went in to attack, and then Bakugo unleashed an attack.

At first, it looked like he was going to blast it at point-blank range. Until the explosion fanned out and began to brighten like a miniature flashbang, followed by the expected explosion covering the entire arena with smoke too thick for anyone to see through.

"How am I supposed to comment when I can't see? What's happening?!" Present Mic asked, sounding annoyed.

As the smoke cleared, it was all too apparent who the winner was. Bakugo stood over the bird-headed student, holding him by the beak as his right hand was constantly popping as sparks were created for another explosion, providing light.

"Tokoyami has given up! Bakugo is the winner of this match!" Midnight announced a flick of her whip.

"That means we now have our final three for this round! And here's where things get fun people!" With that, the screen changed to show me, Todoroki, and Bakugo's picture from the shoulders up, each of us taking a third of the screen. "You see we happen to have an odd number of challenges, so in order to choose our semifinal matchup, we're going to have the randomizer choose which lucky person Mason Ishi shall be up against!" Present Mic explained. "Now get ready in your seats to see who it's gonna be!"

At that moment the screen changed as it switched between Bakugo's and Todoroki's names at a rapid speed. I felt shivers go down my back as I watched my next opponent be decided for me.

"So whoever this lands on..." Ashido began to say.

"Will be Mason's next opponent." Hana finished. "And neither one looks like an easy fight."

Every second that passed the time between names began to decrease until it finally showed who my opponent was going to be. The result was what you would expect, not being the least in my favor. Looking at the first letter it was clear that my fight with Chikara was nothing but a small scuffle with who was I up against.

"Katsuki Bakugo!" Present Mic announced. "The semi-final match will be between Kastsuiki Bakugo, and Mason Ishi, both from Class 1-A of the Hero Course! Until then, we're gonna be taking a short break to give our contenders some room to breathe. It's one hot match after another, folks!"

"Well, it was nice knowing ya man," Denki said with a sigh. "Anything we want us to put on your gravestone?"

"I'm not gonna die guys."

Sero walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder. "You were a good man."

"I said I ain't gonna die!" I shouted, standing up and putting Sero in a headlock along with Denki, both squirming to get free. "You think it's funny to run a joke until it's dead?! Grave mistake guys!"

"Not the puns!" they both shouted, meanwhile Ashido was having the time of her life, and so was Hana.

"Right now may suck, but at least you're making the most of it!" Ashido said, letting out another laugh. "I still think you can beat him though! Right Hana?"

"Yeah! Y-you got this!"

"You say that now... But I got a feeling." Kirishima said. His voice ominous sounding. "We didn't even know Tokoyami's weakness, but Bakugo did, he had to. He may not look it, but he's just as smart as any of us." He turned to me, his red eyes serious. "From man to man, don't let your guard down. If he was able to get this far, no doubt he isn't going easy on anyone, no matter who it is. Right Uraraka?"

The brown-haired girl perked up. "Huh? Oh, yeah." She then looked at me before giving me a thumbs up. "B-Bakugo might be strong, but I'm with Ashido and Hana on this one. Mason is just as strong. So give it your best!" She said with a smile.

"Yeah, give it your best!" Ashido shouted again, Hana joining in too.

"Heh, looks like Mason has his own cheerleaders!" Denki remarked, making Hana's face turn red and Ashido lash out in her own embarrassment.

"We're just being supportive friends!"

* * *

All that had happened, and then two minutes were now left until me and Bakugo's match. The only thing I could do was some stretches and get ready to at least put up a good fight.

There were some fights that you just... Knew you couldn't win at times. You could do your best but in the end, all you could say was "You put up a good fight". It was exactly what I planned to do. After all, Bakugo did say he would win the tournament, and he hadn't gone easy on anyone throughout the entire thing either.

With a final attempt to try and reach my toes, I stood up and stretched my arms up to the ceiling, letting out all of the tension from my nerves. I had come to terms with the fact I would lose, but no way was I going to skip out on giving the fight he deserved.

I gave the clock one final look before walking out fo the waiting room and just in front of the entrance to the stadium. All of the pressure I had been feeling died away as I heard the speakers come alive with Present Mic's upbeat voice.

"Are you ready!?" He asked, the crowd roaring I response. "Then let's get started! This is the step just before our final match, the semifinal match! And what a matchup it's looking to be!" With that, I began to walk into the sunlight, trying to not run up with the amount of energy in the air. "From Class 1-A of the Hero Course, he's the King of Rock, Mason Ishi! And his opponent, he's been going through this Festival leaving a bigger explosion than the last. Also from Class 1-A, and the first place for U.A. entrance exams, Katsuki Bakugo!"

We both walked up to the center as we had multiple times for our other opponents during the tournament. Bakugo's face was in a scowl, while mine was more of a smile. At this, his eyebrows arched and he barred his teeth.

"Eh, what are you smiling at asshole?!" He said aggressively.

"What? It isn't every day I get to fight against one of the strongest in our class."

"Ready..." Present Mic began to say.

"Oh? Cut the flattery and let's get this over with!" He shouted, spreading his hands out like a wrestler. I got into my own stance, my hands in front of me to move the ground.

"BEGIN!"

With a fast swipe of my right hand, I caused the stone to rush at him like I did with Chikara. At the same time he moved back, and then let off two explosions. One at me, the other at the stone rupture rushing at him like a football player.

"DIE!"

I raised my arms, shielding my face from the heat as the force knocked me back. Just like I thought, there was some heat to the explosions Bakugo shot at people. Though it made sense. He _was_ practically shooting a bomb at me.

With my arms raised, I pushed outwards, shooting small stone spikes at him as I moved to the side. All they were good for was a distraction as I tried to come up with a plan. I wasn't an idiot, I'd seen what he had done to Uraraka's own attack during their match. My only options were taking him by surprise, or get extremely lucky with my attacks.

Then again, there was a third option.

Do the idiot thing.

With an almost evil grin on his face, Bakugo went to shoot another explosion at me as I rushed him. I went limp, dropping to the ground and touching the stone floor to manipulate it. That was the first step, I still had two more to go.

I rolled away from him, and then threw both my hands out.

 _Won't be anything like dad's, but it'll have to work._

Bits of rubble lifted off the ground, and begin to spin as I made a miniature sandstorm. With a flick of my wrist, I shot it forward, and then closed my fist as it wrapped around Bakugo, limiting what he could see. I then ran, making my leg become covered in stone I ran and jumped, going in for a roundhouse kick to his back.

That is if he had been able to fully turn around in the first place. I had made sure to distract enough to where he hadn't able to notice me locking him in place with his legs stuck in the stone.

"What the fuck is thi- ?!" I heard him shout as my kick hit his ribs.

It wasn't enough force to break one, but it definitely hurt with how he grunted. He then grabbed my leg, letting off small explosions before a big one as he threw me away. The armor on my leg had shattered as I landed on my stomach.

Quickly I sprang back up and dived to the side and into a roll as another explosion came my way. I stood up, putting my hands at twelve and six, the ground forming into spikes pointed at Bakugo. I then opened them, my palms facing Bakugo as he prepared another blast with his right arm pulled back.

 _Sand Lotus!_

Stone spikes shot forward like bullets, making him swipe in front of him in order to defend himself. Taking advantage of the opening, I held out my hands as both became occupied with a stone baton for each. Energy filled me as I got up close, Bakugo's eyes narrowing as my own went wide.

Part of me knew Bakugo knew what was about to happen as I attacked him with the small stone cylinders. Two strikes to his chest, another to his shoulder, followed by both jabbing into his gut before he let out his breath, bringing both hands together for a point-blank blast at me.

I had no time to react as I took the full front of it, my hair being singed, my body slightly hot, and pain all throughout my body. Bakugo smiled as he saw me struggling to get up.

"Looks like ya got cocky, huh asshole? I expected you to try something, but that little sandstorm trick still caught me by surprise. Now, are you gonna get up or stay down?" His hands began to pop as smaller explosions went off in his palm like a firecracker. "I got more for ya if ya want it!"

"In check," I said, before looking at him with a smile.

"What?" His face changed as he realized what I was about to do.

Taking my hands, I grabbed hold of the stone like it was clay before grabbing it like carpet and flicking it, knocking him off balance. I got up quickly, kicking outward to shoot rounded stones at him as he put his hands behind himself to propel himself forward with his explosions.

Just as planned he used a blast to leap over them, his hand raised to bring down upon me. I crouched down, making the sand and dirt from the debris spin around my right arm, almost looking like an excavation drill with how fast it spun.

This attack was all about timing. Either it would work, or severely injure Bakugo. It was the last chance I had if I wanted to have some sort of hope for winning this. Even if I didn't have a chance, at that time part of me did.

His body was right there in the air, and all it would've taken was a simple stomp of my foot or wave from my left to send a stone pillar right into his stomach. Hell, even turning the sand around my arm into some projectiles would work, yet I didn't feel like doing that.

Such a simple change in my strategy would get me the win, but something held me back at that moment. Something took control as I made the ground shoot me up like a springboard, and thrust my palm forward as the sand formed into a small sphere-like sandstorm the size of a giant beach ball.

All I saw was the bright orange and red of Bakugo's explosion, and the tannish-grey of sand blowing up against it.

With a loud thud, I felt my body drop to the ground. I looked down at my feet to see I was just inches away from the boundary of the ring. One more good hit was all it would take to knock me out.

 _Should I call it quits? I got far enough, hell, Bakugo seems to be enjoying this. Is he? It's kinda hard with the way he's scowling and smiling. Izuku was right, he kinda does seem more of a villain._ I thought to myself, ready to give up.

"Mason, are you able to-"

"Yeah," I said to Midnight as I stood up, dusting myself off. "I can stand up. Just thinking about this last attack."

"Very well. Just know next time I will count you as immobilized." She stated.

With my right hand out, I created another stone staff, the tip turning into sand and spinning around like a drill. Bakugo arched one of his eyebrows.

"What do you plan on doing with that?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Don't really know. Maybe one last attack before you blow me out of bounds?" I spun it around, ready to charge. "A little fact you may want to know Bakugo- My Quirk has a limit to it."

"No shit." He cursed. "Even that Deku knew long before I found it out. You have a range, right? If someone's out of your little twenty-foot circle, you can't exactly get an accurate hit on them with those stone spikes. I found out after your fight with that tomato head." He got into his stance, both his hands popping and sparking. "So, you gonna attack, or will I have to?"

"Why are you asking is my question." I pointed out. "Is it the fact you're _in my range?_ "

Suddenly he threw his hands to the side as the stone hands burst from the floor to grab him. Debris flew, giving me another opening as I threw my spear with the sand-drill on it. With a snap of my finger, it all turned into a spinning spear of sand that exploded against Bakugo's chest as I ran at him, making the sand spin around my right arm once again for my last attack.

 _Second Commandment: Drill Shot!_

As my fist made contact, the sand solidified into a gauntlet, adding more power to my punch. Bakugo had to have been surprised with how his eyes widened when I pulled back for another punch, using my earth manipulation to move my stone-covered arm faster than normal. Once again it slammed into his stomach.

 _First Commandment: Pillar Shot!_

"RAGGHHH! Enough!" Bakugo shouted, using small explosion from his left to make space between. "DIE!" He shouted, raising both his hands at me as he shot a full blast at me, sending me stumbling back before letting off more and more as he stepped forward, each one followed by a shout of "die".

It was the last one that he thrust into my stomach that sent onto my back, and out of bounds of the arena.

"Mason Ishi has been knocked out of bounds! Kastsuki Bakugo is the winner!"

* * *

OW!" I shouted as Recovery Girl wrapped the bandage around my arm.

"Well, that's what you get for trying to taunt your opponent!" the old nurse shouted at me. "I swear you kids get more reckless by the year..."

"I didn't even taunt him! All I did was give him a nice punch in the gut!"

She then began to growl. "Keep yelling and I'll bandage your mouth too! Now please sit still and this will go by easier. So many burns and bruising, I'm surprised you're still able to walk. Nice of your friends to help you out though." The nurse said before taking a pair of scissors and cutting off the bandage wrapped around my arm. Recovery girl sat down and let out a sigh of relief. "Now if you want you can just relax down here. No doubt you're sore and worn out from that match."

I laid back on the bed with a sigh. "That's an understatement. Even with your treatment and all, my body feels like I rolled off my bed in the middle of the night. Except the pain stays instead of going away."

The smell of the makeshift nurse's office was relaxing. After my match, Ashido, Hana, and even Denki and Sero had helped me down here when I refused to be taken down on the stretcher. All the way they had been worrying about me.

I hated when I made people worry about me though because it just made more trouble for them. It was why I tried my best to not get into trouble in middle school.

But it wasn't like that this time. There wasn't a feeling of being an annoyance or even causing trouble without intending to. The way they had rushed down and helped me once I made it inside, hell they were probably waiting for me as soon as the match began to go south with how fast they had gotten to me as I tried to make my own way to the nurse's office with my legs shaking the whole way.

Ashido's concerned face popped into my mind as I closed my eyes. I shook my head furiously.

 _No time for that! She was just being a good friend, nothing more. Even if I do like her, it doesn't mean... I just need to shut up and relax. This whole tournament is just trying to make scrambled eggs out of my emotions._

Doing just that I closed my eyes and got comfortable.

"Just relax. She's probably going through what you are as well." Recovery Girl said, startling me.

"What?! What could you possibly mean it's not like-"

"Young man," She turned around in her chair and put her finger up. "I have been not just a nurse, but also a hero, and even more, a teenager as well. Don't think I don't know children in love when I see them. Even then, don't worry about it. I've seen more couples than I can count, some that have even lasted past this very school. But they all have one thing in common, both those that succeeded _and_ failed. They either acted too late or too quickly." A smile grew on her face. "So don't dwell on these feelings too much, but don't keep them bottled up either. Time rewards those for being patient, but punishes those who wait too long."

I wanted to open my mouth and say how that statement didn't help, but part of me knew it was useless. "I do like her, it's just... How could someone like me-"

"Just relax and be quiet." Recovery Girl stated before giving me another smile. "Don't want her to worry about you now do we? And as for you and your father's problem, I feel people will see beyond that."

Doing just that I closed my eyes, and steadied my breathing. Sure my chance was blown at getting first place, but at least I got farther than I thought I would.

All that mattered to me right now was doing exactly what Recovery Girl told me to, rest and not worry about anything. For all I knew, Ashido could just see me as a friend and nothing more. Even then I'd be okay with that. Next, to Hana, she was one of the best friends I'd ever had.

And because of that, I'd do my best to be a good friend as well.

* * *

Mina Ashido sat just above Hanakabe, her head on her arms as she pouted. It wasn't she was in a bad mood, rather just sad, and a little frustrated. After all, her friend was stuck in the infirmary without anyone being able to visit except for his parents, which she could understand.

Still, Mason was one of the people she enjoyed taking to the most in class. He made terrible puns, but they were so bad you couldn't help but laugh.

 _Why did you have to get hurt idiot? I know you can get carried away in a fight, but we worry you know!_ Mina mentally shouted.

It didn't help that her concern was stuck in her mind like a bad song. Ever since their latest trip to the park for Mason's "introduction into society", a present nagging was in the back of her mind. So much she could barely look at Mason.

That is she didn't find him unlikeable. She didn't know what these feelings were, other than it seemed each time they hang out was one of the best days of her life.

Anytime they could hang out, she jumped at the opportunity it seemed. Either she was doing school work, hanging out with her friends from middle school at the mall, Jiro, Hagakure, and Uraraka, or with Mason. Their first trip had made her day all the more bearable when she found she had to redo an English paper for Present Mic's class when her computer accidentally deleted it.

"Ashido, you okay?" Hana asked her, startling her.

"Oh, uh- Yeah! Totally fine!" She lied.

 _Even then, if I_ do _like him, he and Hana are together. And I'm happy for them._

"You sure? You seemed almost as n-nervous as me." The long, black-haired girl pointed out.

"At least I don't go redder than Kirishima's hair whenever Mason talks to you!" She retorted, making Hana turn the exact red she had predicted.

"That's- Come on, Ashido!"

"Hehe!" Ashido laughed, loving she could get back at Hana, even it was her only means.

 _He and Hana might be together, but that doesn't mean I can't still be his friend. So long as I can be that, and he's happy, I'm happy for him._

* * *

 **A/N: Ah young love. So damn complicated for no damn reason. Other than entertainment purposes. I feel this is more of a "how they will" rather than "Will they or won't they?" Part of doing stories like this is trying to make the pairing logical and feel genuine. Relationships can happen overnight, but it takes time for it to become something solid. Now for the Bakugo vs Mason fight, Mason lost because that thought of Bakugo being stronger was present in his mind, making him be this utter beast he would at best barely overcome. That and to be honest, Bakugo would take down Mason with maybe _some_ difficulty. Bakugo just has too much firepower on his side. Also, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all you guys. This chapter was my present to you guys. Last one I'll be doing for the year. To the reviews!**

 **61394: Thank for the compliments on the fight. Hope ya like this one as well.**

 **SuperedX: The sand shell idea I got from Naruto's Gaara. I mean come on, I have said Mason likes anime and manga, so why wouldn't I give a little nod to that?**

 **pokemonking0924: Well sadly it wasn't that three-way you wanted, but I feel it was just as good. The more I tried writing it, the more I felt it'd be better to do this. Glad to see that you enjoyed the fight, along with the Mason and Hana moment. Though I feel it's time we give another girl some love...**

 **GreenD109: I haven't put names for their Quirks yet since they're kinda vague on what they do. Togatta's is "Trichokinesis", or the ability to control har however she chooses. Chikara's Quirk's name is "Force".**

 **Well, see you all next year! Can't wait to do some more chapters! No cliffhangers this time before the holidays.**


	29. Chapter 29

I felt bad being the one to stand on the third place podium along with Tokoyami. I had just been sleeping a few moments ago. Seems I had taken Recovery Girl's advice a little _too_ literally. I had been sleeping like it was a Sunday morning, not having to wake up at my usual six in the morning in order to get ready for school.

Ashido, Hana, and Midoriya had all come down looking for me. Unknown to me, Tokoyami, Iida, and I were all supposed to fight against one another one at a time in order to fill out the remaining third, fourth, and fifth places.

The guilt was even worse with the news I was told. Iida had gotten a call and needed to leave for a family emergency. Midoriya hadn't said much, but his blue eyes seemed to be worried. No doubt it wasn't anywhere near good, but I knew it was better to not ask questions about it.

In the end, it was me, Tokoyami, and Iida in third place in a sort of three-way tie. Another downside of sleeping in had been missing out on Bakugo and Todoroki's fight. It had to be a wild one with the number of restraints on Bakugo.

Handcuffs keeping his hands completely covered in metal, chained to the pillar he was standing on. He was even wearing a muzzle covering up to his eyes. It didn't stop him from thrashing about shouting "die" and "I'll kill you icy-hot bastard!". The usual things you'd expect from the ashy blond.

It didn't take much to figure out who won. Bakugo was blatantly restrained at the tallest pillar, first place. To his right was Todoroki's who was slightly taller than my third place one. Tokoyami stood at the side, sharing third with me.

I don't want to lie, but I was a little bit afraid of how violently Bakugo thrashed. If he had won first place, why was he so angry then?! If anything I thought he'd be happy! He had said he wanted to win the Sports Festival after all. Still, compared to him Todoroki was the complete opposite with his calm posture, not even showing anything resembling a hate for only coming in second place.

I shook myself, focusing on looking in front of me as the pillars began to vibrate as they surfaced from the underground of the arena. "The First-Year students have completed all the events of the U.A. Sports Festival! Now it's time to relax and enjoy the awards ceremony!" Midnight announced

Immediately the screen changed to say "Awards Ceremony", trumpets playing to add to the mood. Fireworks of all colors shot up into the sky. It amazed me with sure I had gotten to the "top", but I still had a way to go.

Until then, I felt I was supposed to enjoy this moment.

Jets of sparks went up into the air as we raised from the ground. Midnight stood in front, her right hand showing us off. Us, and Bakugo, who's thrashing had increased by a hundred percent it seemed.

The rest of the class was standing there, along with the press who's cameras had almost as much flash as the fireworks.

"He's acting like a feral animal," Tokoyami remarked next to me.

"Yeah, you can say that again..." I agreed. "Is it safe to stand next to him?" I brought up, extremely concerned.

"Tenya Iida actually shares the third place award with Tokoyami and Mason, but unfortunately he had to leave for family reasons." Midnight explained to the press. "Gotta love those familial bonds." She added, putting her finger to her lips.

"A media darling?!" Tokoyami said surprised.

"Now let's break out the hardware!" Midnight shouted as she stretched her hand above us. "And there's only one person worthy of distributing the awards!"

With that, a booming laugh sounded through the entire stadium. There was only one person who it could belong to with that deep yet comforting voice that a hero would have. "AH, HA HA HA HA! Citizens, I am here with medals!" All Might declared as he jumped into the air and landed with a solid thump.

At the same time, Midnight spoke. "All Might, the Number One Hero!" It was actually funny to see Midnight apologize as All Might gave her a confused look. She went over and grabbed a platter the three medals were all sitting. "Now that you're here All Might how about you start the presentation." She suggested, looking to be a bit nervous.

All Might took the third-place medal and walked over to me and Tokoyami. As he walked forward in his red, yellow, white, and blue costume, I nudged Tokoyami forward. "Take it, man."

"But Mason you-"

" _You_ deserve it," I said to the bird-headed boy with a slight smile on face. "If I'm going to take a medal, it'll be if I actually deserve it. This your win, and it's some _spotlight_ I think Dark Shadow would like for a change too."

He looked at me, but then bowed down his head as All Might put the medal around his neck. "Congratulations young Tokoyami, you showed great strength out there. Both you, and Mason." He said sincerely.

"Thank you, sir," I said to him, bowing slightly.

"Your words humble me," Tokoyami said.

"However," All Might placed a hand on each of our shoulders, looking us both in the eye. "You have more training to do if you're going to learn how to fight other types of villains. You're not going to be able to rely on your Quirk in every battle you face."

"Yes, sir." We both said.

For some reason, I felt that even though the message was to the both of us, it was still personal in a way. After all, we had both been using our Quirks for pretty much all of our matches. Not once did we _not_ use it.

All Might next walked over to Todoroki, placing the second-place medal around his neck. "Young Todoroki, congratulations. I'm assuming there's a reason you didn't use your left side, though it cost you the final."

"Midoriya opened my eyes during our match." He explained, his voice sounding sad and defeated, a tone I didn't think I'd hear from him. "But then I started to doubt myself. I think I now understand why you're interested in him. I want to be the kind of Hero you are, but my path... Isn't as clear as I thought it was." He admitted. "I have a lot to think about, and still need to settle things with someone, very soon."

All Might nodded. "I've never seen this sort of look on your face before." He then brought him into a hug. "I won't ask for details, but trust yourself. I'm sure you'll work things out."

After that, he went over to Bakugo. "And now Young Bakugo. Well..." The giant man stared at just how much they had restrained him so he wouldn't go after Todoroki. "This is a little much!" He remarked as he unhooked the muzzle on Bakugo's mouth. "You did what you set out to do during the pledge. You're true to your word!"

"All Might..." The ashy blonde growled with a look of pure rage on his face. "Winning First place this way doesn't prove I'm the best one here! Even if the world considers me the winner I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT LIKE THIS!" He shouted, letting out all of his anger, with no doubt more fuel to go.

All Might then put his hand in a Hamlet-like position, his head facing to the left. "In a world where we are constantly being compared to one another, there are very few who can keep their eyes on the top spot. You are one of them."

Bakugo face seemed to defy logic as his face became even more terrifying. How was that even possible?!

All Might raised up the first-place medal, a perfect gold. "Please accept this medal, even if you have to think of it as a scar! Something you'll never forget!"

"I don't want that piece of garbage!" Bakugo shouted.

"Come on now." All Might said, proceeding to try and put the medal around his neck.

"Get that trash away from me you idiot!"

With some force, All Might hung it between Bakugo's teeth and turned around to face the crowd. "Here they are, the winners of this year's Sport's Festival! But listen closely, any of you First-Years could have stood at these podiums! Think about what you've done today. You've challenged each other! Learned! And climbed even closer towards your goal of being Pros! I think our next generation of heroes is proving to be our most promising one yet!" He pointed his finger towards the sky. "So I have one more thing to say! I want to hear everyone yell it together with me! You know what it is!"

"PLUS ULTRA!" Everyone shouted, except All Might who said something completely different.

"Thank you, everyone, for your hard work!"

"... What..." I said, blown away by how All Might had the opportunity to say our school's catch-phrase, but completely missed it.

He was met with shouting from the crowd as they realized this as well. Each and every one of us complaining about how he could have said "Plus Ultra" instead of what he originally said.

* * *

"Nice work, you have the next two days off from school in order to recuperate," Aizawa said, which was a relief to me. My muscles felt like they had been burned, cooled down, and then burned again. "The Pros who watched the Festival will want to recruit some of you. We'll look at the draft forms and update you when you return. Get some rest, you still have some training to do."

"Yes, sir." We all said before getting our bags and getting up to leave the classroom.

On my way out, Hana and Ashido both ran up to me from behind. "Mason! I can't believe you got that far! I mean I knew you would but, that was amazing! that fight with that girl, and then the Chikara guy... It was awesome!" Ashido shouted excitedly.

"Yeah," Hana agreed. "I never thought I'd see you so close to going all out."

I nervously scratched my blonde-hair covered head. "Come on, you're making me blush guys." My hand dropped down. "I just went through it is all. I still have a long way to go, trust me. Until then." I turned around, hands behind my head as I walked backward. "Just because I'm giving it everything doesn't mean you guys can't too!"

"Hey, I beat Aoyama at least! That's something!" Ashido said, defending herself.

"And I put up a good fight!" Hana added.

"You did Hana. Though I did get some payback for you in my fight for Chikara." I said with a wink.

While Hana began to redden, Ashido laughed. "You guys really are cute, you know that? Part of me knew _something_ was going on between you two. Ever since the entrance exams, I knew you two liked each other!"

Thinking back on it, she was right. Ashido's first impression had been me and Hana had known each other for a long time, which was a little bit true, but mostly confusing. Still, a thought occurred to me then.

Should we just tell Ashido now? No one else was there, and it'd also clear things up before we'd get back from our two-day break from school. No doubt it'd easily get around that I and Hana were just faking being a couple, and we wouldn't have to worry about explaining it to everyone on the day we were supposed to sign up for internships.

"Yeah about that A-Ashido..." Hana began to say.

 _Wait, did she just have the same idea I did?! What are the chances!?_

"Yeah, Hana?" Ashido said.

Hana began to touch the tips of her index fingers together. "You see... the th-thing is... W-well we've kinda been-"

A car horn sounded, cutting Hana off. "MASON! We're over here!" I heard my dad shout. "You can talk with your girlfriend later! Seafood tonight!"

"Well, looks like I gotta go guys." I did a mock salute with my index and middle fingers. "See you tomorrow Ashido, and see ya later Hana!"

"See ya!" They both said as I got into the car.

My mom was in the driver's seat, and my dad in the passenger. It wasn't hard to get the seatbelt on, despite how long it had been since I'd actually been in our car. Usually, I'd just walk home or to school. It had become the norm for me.

"Phew, good thing I saw ya. Was that a good save? You looked to be in some trouble." My dad asked me.

I nodded. "You could not have said that at a better time dad. So we're eating out tonight?"

"Yes, we are. Since your father is now a free man, albeit with some strings, time for this family to have dinner as a family for once!" My mom cheered, driving away.

I smiled as I came to the realization. We were finally a family again. After five years of hardship, of everything we had to go through, we were together like t had never happened. Even with how happy I felt, there was a part of me though, the felt differently. With everything that had happened, would it be the same again?

* * *

Two hours of eating at a seafood restaurant and a change of clothes later, and I flopped onto my bed with my eyes heavier than I thought possible for someone my age. It seemed the Sports Festival's excitement had finally decided to slam into me like one of Chikara's blast as the day ended.

In my room, I was finally alone, and able to fully relax. I was going to abuse these next two days to get some much-needed rest. It wasn't easy having to adjust your schedule for two weeks so you get some training in, along with sleep.

I moved around to get on my back. I closed my eyes as I put my hands on my chest as I always did, and began to let myself drift off. Never before had my pillow felt so good on my neck after a long day of school. After five minutes, or what felt like five minutes, I finally began to feel myself enter sleep.

Until my phone decided to go off.

"Oh come on!" I shouted. A little bit irritated my sleep had been interrupted. Was it just a notification to show a streamer was live? Or maybe just an email in case Aizawa hadn't told us about not having school for two days?

It ended up being neither. On the screen was a small box with Ashido's full name on it. Under that was a message she had sent me. Seeing the "..." at the end, I knew it was definitely a long one.

Knowing I had to own up to it, I unlocked my phone and looked to see what the message was. Right there was the message I expected to see. Hana had told Ashido about our secret after all.

"Why didn't you tell me you two weren't really dating!? I mean Hana did tell me about that Chikara guy, but why did you leave me out of it?!" The message read.

It took me a few seconds to type a response. I had almost been asleep before Ashido sent me the message. "She was afraid that some of the other guys might have made it their mission to 'teach him' something." I sent. "And also some of the girls as well."

Her icon popped as another message was sent. "Yeah, we probably would have done that..."

"Would have?" I sent, trying to prod her a bit as I smiled.

"Okay, we _definitely_ would have done something. Nodoby messes with our classmates! Thanks for helping her though." She sent back. "So, you two aren't dating, right? Just faking to get him off her back?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Thanks for doing that." Ashido messaged me. This time with a smiley face emoji at the end of the sentence. "By the way, I wanted to ask you something."

I arched my eyebrows. "What is it?" I sent.

"Would you mind hanging out tomorrow? I want to see what agencies are around here for when we go back to sign up for one." She asked.

"Sure!"

"Nice! See you at the station at one! Night!"

"Night!" I replied before turning my phone off.

With something to look forward to tomorrow, I find a new motivation to get myself sleeping. to be honest, it was two wins for the price of one. I'd be able to check out some hero agencies and hang out with Ashido.

It was then my mind wandered back to what Chikara had said. No way in hell had I let his comment about Ashido stand. Today had just been a mess for my emotions.

First with finding out my dad was now out of jail. Second, the fact the bank robbery my dad had done had caused Hana's mom to be killed by a stray piece of building that slammed into their car. And then... There was Ashido. I liked her, don't get me wrong.

But at the time, there were so many things going on. I wanted to show that being my dad's son didn't mean anything. That I _could_ save people, that I could be a Hero.

At the same time, I knew that I had a crush on Ashido.

She was perfect. The way she was always happy and cheerful. Outgoing, even going out of her way to hang out with me, who almost everyone deemed as the most insulting thing on the planet or didn't bother with. There wasn't just _one_ thing I liked about her once I thought about it. I liked her because she was just _her_. Asking me to pick one thing was like asking me what my all-time favorite food was.

Just like Recovery Girl said though, I couldn't rush things. I couldn't rush, and I couldn't wait too long either. All I could do was either wait to see if she felt the same, or bet on whether or not she'd accept those feelings.

For now, though, I was content with being her friend. Even if she didn't feel the same, I'd still be friends with her.

With a sigh, I turned on my side to turn off the lamp on my desk and finally went to sleep. Except for one difference being, I was looking forward to waking up tomorrow to hang out with Ashido. Maybe I'd be able to build up some confidence to ask her out for all I knew.

* * *

 **A/N: You know if there's one thing I like that Horikoshi has done, it's the relationships with characters. Especially between Uraraka and Izuku. It isn't a flat out "I like her". Sure Izuku finds her cute, but what's even better is Uraraka _grows_ to see she has feelings for him. Something I try to play with here, because sure they're teenagers, but they're also trying to become Heroes for their own quirky reasons (heh, pun). They do like each other, it's just getting to that point of "Fuck it, will you date me!?" we all got through when we ask out a crush. Now that Ashido _knows_ Hana and Mason aren't actually dating, it opens up that metaphorical floodgate of "All I need to do is ask him". Now with that, to the reviews!**

 **GreenD109: H's in fourth place, simply for the comedy aspect of "I got fourth the whole way." The fight with Bakugo will also be another thing that will later change how Mason acts in alter fights.**

 **pokemonking0924: Thanks for the happy holiday's man, they were good. As for the Bakugo and Todoroki fight, Mason was way too exhausted to get to see it if we look at it logically. Hoping to play around with Mina and Mason's feelings now. Time to get some relationship building!**

 **SuperedX: Thank you, man.**

 **61394: No better way to say it. That is exactly what Bakugo is.**

 **21Orphans: Don't worry about it. Some people like that fight, some didn't. I just write what I write. And if someone likes it, even better. Everyone is allowed to have their opinion.**

 **Preview time!**

 **"You need code names."**

 **"Terra Firma Hero, Stone Fox!"**

 **"Hey, Mason... Did you mean it?"**

 **TIME. FOR. HERO NAAAAAAAAAMES!**


	30. Chapter 30

You know, there a few things I hate in life as someone who likes to walk. Sure, it can be good exercise and you might not know what can happen when you go outside. It could be a good day or a bad one. Hell, maybe even instead of walking you might run a little bit in case you feel like it.

But there was one danger that came with always walking to school. That moment when you see the clouds grey, and you can smell the water in the air, but still hope it holds out long enough for you to get to school.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I really, really hate the rain.

Don't get me wrong, I know it's good for plants and everything and it always helped with having more water on the planet. That it was a part of life that happened. I had my raincoat as well to keep myself dry. Still didn't make me like it. Another reason was my Quirk.

Because I was able to tell where people were on the ground whenever they stepped on it, the fact it was raining today was the worst thing that could happen. To give you a better description, it was like if your phone kept on receiving a message over and over again, and you couldn't turn off the notification sound.

Add in the fact my Quirk's range was a twenty-foot circle around me, and that was a lot of "messages". If anyone wanted to take me by surprise, fighting me in the rain was their best bet. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a step and a raindrop.

Hana hadn't picked me up at all, which I expected. No doubt the time she did give me a ride was just because she needed to talk to me. Which was fine, I couldn't have good luck all the time.

It wasn't bad on the trains though. Some people who recognized me from the Sports Festival talked to me, cheering me on and talking about some of the things I did. It was way different from the how people treated me back in middle school.

Even if they were being nice and sincere, there was a still a part of me that had doubt.

 _It's just because I did a good job. No way would they say it to me otherwise._ I felt my mind say to myself.

After the train ride, I began lightly jog to the school. I looked at my phone for the time, seeing I was just about on schedule. I'd have time to change out of my raincoat and get to class with about two or three minutes to chat with everybody.

That was exactly what was able to happen as I made my way inside and sat down, letting out a deep breath. I turned around to talk to Hana as Aizawa walked in.

"Morning." He said, and to my surprise, I was actually able to see his poorly shaven face and tired eyes instead of the bandages that had been covering it for the past few weeks. Even his arms looked to be in better condition.

"Morning Mr. Aizawa." We all responded.

"Ribbit?" Tsuyu croaked. "Mr. Aizawa you're not wearing bandages anymore, that's good news!"

He took his left finger and scratched his eye, a small scar showing. "The old lady went a little overboard with her treatment." He explained. "Anyway, we have a big class today. On Hero Informatics."

At the drop of the word, and the fact of what today was, a small hope grew in my mind.

 _If I remember correctly, aren't we supposed to be applying for internships? Then again, could be a pop quiz or something to see if we're still on our toes..._ I thought to myself.

Either way, I was the type to read or watch something once, and always remember it. A little pop quiz wouldn't hurt me, but no doubt the others in class might freak out a little.

"You need code names. Today you pick your hero identities." Aizawa said. Just as everyone jumped out of their seats in excitement, his air floated in the air, and his red eyes glowed with menace. Everyone sat down just as quickly as they had jumped up. I was excited too. Once we were calmed down his hair dropped back down. "This is related to the Pro-Hero draft picks I mentioned last time we were in class together. Normally students don't have to worry about the draft yet, not until their second or third year actually, but your class is different. In fact, by extending offers to first-years like you, Pros are essentially investing in your potential. Any offers can be rescinded if their interest in you dies down before graduation though." He pointed out.

"So what you're saying is we'll still have to prove ourselves after we've gotten recruited." Hagakure said, looking like her usual invisible self. To this day I still wondered what she looked like.

Aizawa nodded to the invisible girl. "Correct. Now, here are the totals for those of you who got offers." Aizawa took out a remote and pressed a button for a screen to pop up, showing our names, followed by how many offers we got.

The most shocking thing to see was it wasn't Bakugo who got the most despite being in first. Well, his attitude wasn't the best, but still. The first name to show was Todoroki, with over four-thousand offers.

"In past years it's been more spread out, but there's a pretty big gap this time," Aizawa stated.

"Gah! That's so unfair..." Denki groaned.

"What about the real star, _moi_?" Aoyama asked, fuming behind that small grimace of his.

"Todoroki got the most?" Jirou asked.

"Yeah, it's opposite of how they placed in the festival," Kirishima answered.

"They probably weren't excited with having to work with the guy who had to be chained up at the end." Sero pointed out.

Bakugo turned around, gritting his teeth. "If I scare a Pro, they're just weak!" he shouted.

"Mason, we got a few!" Hana pointed out with a smile on her face.

Looking down the line, I could see I did actually have a few offers. A "few" being about twenty or so. It was definitely higher than I expected to get. Hana had even more though, one-hundred twenty offers to be exact.

"You definitely got more offers though between the two of us." I pointed out.

She then looked away. "Yeah..." She admitted miserably. "There's only one I'll be going to, and we know who that is..."

I nodded as I remembered her father in that riot gear, no doubt his hero costume. He was intimidating to the "g". "Yeah, I don't think you'd be able to say no to that guy..." I admitted.

"Despite these results, you'll all be interning with Pros. Got it?" Aizawa asked with a sharp tone. "Even those of you who didn't get any offers."

"Oh, so we're all interning?" Izuku asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Aizawa confirmed. "You already got to experience real combat against villains during the attack on the USJ facility, but it'll still be good to see real Pros at work. Up close and personal in the field, first hand."

"And for that, we need Hero Names!" Sato said.

"Things are certainly getting more fun!" Uraraka cheered.

"Hero names are likely to be temporary, so take them seriously or-"

"You'll have hell to pay later!" Midnight said, opening the door and cutting off Aizawa's sentence. Some of the guys in the room blushed a little as she sashayed her way into the room. "What you pick today could be your code name for life. You better be careful or you'll be stuck with something utterly indecent." She stood by Aizawa and put her hand on her waist as he spoke.

"Yeah, she's got a good point. Midnight will give approval of your names." He grabbed his trademark yellow sleeping bag from under his desk. "It's not my forte. The name you give yourself is important. It helps reinforce your image and shows what kind of Hero you wanna be in the future. A code name tells people exactly what you represent. Take All Might for example."

Midnight walked around and handed each person in the front row boards and markers to pass back. On it, we'd write our title and Hero name. To explain it, the title showed what kind of hero we would be, and the name would be what we'd like to be called.

For example, Uncle Aizawa was "Eraserhead, the Erasure Hero". "Erasure" referred to his Quirk that could nullify another's own, and "Eraserhead" was his name. Though it barely made any headlines...

I had already had my name picked out. With the black marker, I began to write my title and name, proud of my choice. After it seemed everyone was done, Midnight spoke up.

"Now students, who among you is ready to share?" She asked.

 _We have to say it out loud!?_ I mentally shouted, no doubt making a telepath clutch their hand in pain. The real question was, who would be the first to get the wheel going?

It was at that moment Aoyama casually got up and walked to the front of the class with his board. "Hold your breath," He said, before lifting it up to show us. "The Shining Hero... My name is 'I Can Not Stop Twinkling'!" He declared with confidence. " _Mon Amie_ , you cannot deny my sparkle."

I was in disbelief of his hero name being a whole sentence until Midnight took the board and began to fix it. "Take out the 'I' and change the 'Can Not' to 'Can't'." She suggested.

"Simply dazzling mademoiselle." the blonde-haired boy said.

"She likes it?" Some of us said confused.

"Also you're not really french are you that just an act," Sato said.

"Okie Dokie let me go next!" Ashido said as she ran over presenting her board for us to see. "My code name, Alien Queen!" She said menacingly.

"Hold on! Like that horrible monster with the acidic blood?!" Midnight asked, a little bit terrified. "I don't think so."

"Dang it..." She said as she glumly walked back to her desk behind me.

"Ribbit. I feel like I got one. Is it okay if I go now?" Tsuyu asked with her hand raised.

"Come on up!"

She walked over and flipped it to show us. "I've had this in mind since I was in grade school. Rainy Season Hero, Froppy!"

"That's delightful!" Midnight said happily. "It makes you sound approachable! What a great example of a name everyone will love!"

 _So we've found the middle ground. Thank you Tsuyu._ I said silently with a smile on my face as the other chanted the name, probably sharing my feelings about it.

"We've got mine too! The Sturdy Hero, my name is Red Riot!" Kirishima announced as he slammed the board down.

"'Red Riot'? Interesting." Midnight remarked. "You're paying homage to the Chivalrous Hero Crimson Riot, yes?"

"That's right," Kirishima said with his hand behind his head. "He may be kind of old school, but I wanna be just like he was! Crimson is my idol!"

"Hm. If you're bearing the name of someone you admire, you have that much more to live up to."

He raised his fist to his chest with a smile. "I accept the challenge."

After a few seconds of people getting some ideas, Jirou walked up to the desk. "The Hearing Hero, I'm Earphone Jack."

"Oooh, that's a good one!" Midnight pointed out.

Feeling restless, I got up as well to show my name. I took a deep breath. "Terra Firma Hero, Stone Fox!" I said facing everyone.

"Oh, that's another good one! Sounds familiar though..." She said, trying to think hard about it, her face in a scowl.

I smiled. "It's the name of a book, and a character in the book. Stone Fox was a Native American sled dog racer. He used the money he won from races to buy back land taken from his people. Crime might be down, but there are still areas that are steeping in it. I want to be a hero who can give the people the peace that belongs to them." Everyone was silent until Midnight spoke again.

"It isn't often I get to hear a reason like that for a Hero name. I believe if you all were to be stuck with your current Hero names, Mason would be the most contempt. Next up, please!"

As I went to sit down, Shoji stood up and made his way over. One of his tentacles changed into a mouth to speak. "The Tentacle Hero, Tentacole."

"Oh, I like what you're doing with that! A nice port man-toe."

"Aegis Hero, Athena!" Hana said, which made Midnight smile.

"If I remember correctly the Aegis was a shield Athena used in battle, yes? I can see the inspiration for how you use your Quirk and your sword. Good choice Kennagasa!" Midnight commented.

"The Taping Hero, Cellophane," Sero said proudly.

"Now that's the on the nose!" Midnight said, giving him a thumbs up. "Good work."

"Martial Arts Hero, Tailman," Ojiro said as he flexed his tail for emphasis.

"No surprise with that one I guess!"

Sota got up and stuck his thumb at himself. "I'm the Sweets Hero, Sugarman!"

"Perfect!" Midnight beamed.

"Pinky!" Ashido shouted with her fist in the air.

"That's right, make those looks work for you girl!"

"Stun Gun Hero, Chargebolt!" Denki presented. "Electric don't ya think?"

"It makes me all tingly!" Midnight squealed. She was really getting into the names for most of us.

Hagakure walked up and put up her board. "Stealth Hero, Invisible Girl!"

"That really suits you!" Midnight then raised her hand to the ceiling, her face wide with a smile. "Now come on, who's next?"

Yaoyorozu walked up. She gave her title a name a look over before standing straight. "I hope I can live up to this name. The Everything Hero, Creati."

"More like Creati-ve!"

I face-palmed in response to the pun.

 _That's not how you make a pun..._

Todoroki walked up, his board only showing his name. "Shoto."

"Just your name?" Midnight asked. "Is that it?"

He nodded.

Next up was Tokoyami. "Jet-Black Hero, Tsukuyomi."

"Ah, the God of the Night!"

"I'm the Fresh-Picked Hero, Grape Juice!" Mineta shouted, only his arms showing due to the height of the desk.

"Very catchy." Koda shyly walked up, not saying a word. His board said "Petting Hero, Anima. Midnight gave her thumbs up on the name. "Yup, I'm all for it!"

"King Explosion Murder." Bakugo calmly said, however his eyes were bloodshot.

"I'm gonna say that one's a little too violent."

"Huh?! What do you mean too violent!?" Bakugo shouted, dropping the board.

 _Of course, he thinks of that one..._ I thought to myself as I facepalmed once again.

"Why don't you be 'Explosion Boy'?" Kirishima suggested.

"Why don't you shut up weird hair!" Bakugo retorted.

After Bakugo was calmed down and sat back down to think up a new name, Uraraka walked up, seeming a bit nervous. "This is the name I thought of. Uravity."

"I just love that!" Midnight said, clapping her hands together and resting her hand on them. Uraraka seemed to let out a breath of relief. "To be honest, choosing names has gone faster than I thought it would. All we have left is young Bakugo who needs to rethink his, and... Iida." She then snapped her fingers. "Oh yes, and Midoriya too." Iida walked up to the desk after a minute or so, placing his down and looking to the side. "You're using your real name too?" The dark-haired teacher asked.

She got no response from him, but I knew something was up. The way he walked, it reminded me of how I used to be in middle school for some reason. The gait was more forced than his usual orderly one.

Had something happened?

"Well Midoriya, are you ready?" Midnight asked the green-haired boy.

"O-oh, yes!" He said as he got up from his desk. He gave the board one last determined look before turning it around for us to see. The choice he had picked shocked me. Why would he pick that name of all things!?

"Really Midoriya?"

"You sure about that?" Denki asked concerned.

"Yeah man, that can be your name forever." Kirishima pointed out.

Izuku looked down. "Right. I used to hate it, but then something changed. I guess... Someone taught me it could have a different meaning, and that had a huge impact on how I felt." His face changed into a smile. "So now I really like it. Deku, that has to be my codename!"

"Lord Explosion Murder!" Bakugo said, trying out another name.

"That's basically the same thing Bakugo..." Some of us remarked.

* * *

We took a small break to stretch before getting back to class in order to finish up. From all the papers Aizawa had in his hands, my guess next was filling out our internships.

"Now that everyone's decided on their Hero names, we can go back to talking about your upcoming internships," Aizawa stated. "They last for one week. As for who you'll be working with, those who are on the board will choose from among your offers. Everyone else will have a different list. You will have a lot to think about. There are around forty agencies around the country who have agreed to take one interns from your class. Each agency has a specialty their Heroes focus on, keep that in mind."

"Imagine that you were Thirteen. You'd want to choose a place that focuses on rescuing people and not fighting villains." Midnight explained. "Understand?"

"Think carefully before you decide," Aizawa asked.

"Yes, sir!" We all responded before taking our papers and looking at where we would want to work. With the number of offers I had gotten, it was small, but still rather daunting. Was this how it was for college students when selecting their majors?

The lunch bell sounded, Aizawa taking his leave from the room with a final remark. "Make sure to turn in your choices after the weekend."

"Wait, we only got two days?!" Kirishima asked concerned.

"Yeah, so you should decide quickly. You're dismissed."

* * *

I leaned back and sighed.

"So guys have you figured out what agency you guys wanna go for?" Ashido asked us, sounding tired. I didn't blame her, she hadn't gotten any recommendations.

"Nope," I said as I slouched in my chair, looking at the list I had been given.

"Mount Lady is my top choice." Mineta declared proudly.

Tsuyu walked by us. "Mineta, are you thinking of something perverted?"

"Maybe!" He admitted with a scared look on his face.

"You got pretty far in the tournament. It's weird you didn't get any offers." Ojiro pointed out as he held his tail on his shoulder.

Ashido jumped from her chair. "I know!"

Uraraka turned to Izuku. "Hey Deku, who's on your list?" She asked the green-haired boy.

As I turned around to see who he had an idea of I was barraged by his trademark muttering. He rambled on about each one's specialty, area, and overall notoriety, grouping them up.

 _Yup, there he goes again..._ I thought to myself.

"Oh! Sorry! What did you guys say?" He asked as he realized he had zoned out again.

"You're really thinking hard about this, aren't you Midoriya?" Tsuyu asked him, the rest of us walking over to the two.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it'll work out. I've already got my pick!" Uraraka said with a smile.

"Really? What agency?" Ojiro asked her.

"The one the Battle Hero Gunhead runs."

"R-really?" Izuku said, sounding shocked. "He's a brawler type though! Are you sure that's where you wanna intern Uraraka?"

"Yup!" She put out her fist in a mock punching pose. "He sent me an offer!"

"Wow, really? I thought you were trying to be a hero like Thirteen, more rescuing than fighting."

"Ultimately that's the plan, but ever since the Festival- well, since I faced off against Bakugo, the stronger I am the more possibilities I'll have!" She explained with another mock punch. "Plus learning from a battle-hero will give me more perspective, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Izuku responded, visibly shaking a small bit.

"Also there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Why are you trembling?"

So I hadn't been the only one noticing.

"Oh, this? It's exercise." He gestured to the fact he had been sitting just above his seat.

My jaw dropped. "What?!" I said shocked.

"Exercise!? Were you doing that during the whole class?" Uraraka asked.

"No way!" Ashido said, just as surprised as I was.

"That's such an old-fashioned way to train." Mineta pointed out.

"But an effective one." Ojiro countered. "The isometric muscle contraction that's needed to hold your body in above your desk makes it an easy way to work out without moving."

I began to stroke my chin. "Maybe I should try that..."

"You're barely even awake to do it anyways!" Ashido said as she gently poked me in the side.

"Hey! I don't sleep _all_ the time. Just when nothing exciting is going on..." I explained. "Speaking of, I already picked my choice as well. The Chilled Hero Iceberg."

"Yeah, I've heard of him. If not for some of the other Pros, he'd definitely be up there in the ranking." Izuku said, looking through his book. "He was one of the first Heroes I wrote notes about, just because of his Quirk. He does mostly hostage-rescue situations, right?"

I nodded as Ashido audibly sighed. "Come on! But his agency is so far away! I was hoping to see at least some of you guys, but most of you will be all over the country!"

Placing my hand on her shoulder I tried to comfort her. "Hey don't worry! I'll still call. You just better not slack off while I'm gone." I said with a cocky grin.

"You're one to talk you sandworm!" She shouted as she put me in a headlock, a devious smile on her face.

"Just because my uncle is a caterpillar doesn't mean you can use that nickname! Can't believe I told you about that!" I retorted as I tried to get out of it, with success being miles away. Damn, she was strong.

Yet I knew she wasn't being serious. This was just one of those moments where the teasing had gotten so bad she needed a way out of it before becoming embarrassed to where everybody could see it. It still hurt though.

* * *

After school we had walked to the station, Hana having been picked up as usual by her driver. We all dropped off our choices for internships, so the weekend was basically free now.

It was as we waited for our respective trains that Ashido finally spoke up. The whole walk had been quiet, but that good kind of quiet. That made me more anxious when she spoke up.

"Hey, Mason... Did you mean it?" She asked.

"The calling thing? Hell yeah, I did!" I answered, making a smile at the pink-skinned girl.

"Really?" She asked again, her eyes wide.

"Well, yeah." I scratched my sandy-blonde hair. "We usually hang out like twice a week, but since we're gonna be a good distance away from each other, I thought the next best thing would be just phone calls about how our internships are going. Kinda corny, huh?" I admitted nervously.

"No, not at all!" Ashido said, putting her hands up in defense. "It's just..." She let her hands down. "You're a good friend for even thinking of that. Hana said she wouldn't be able to text while at her father's, and everyone else is probably gonna be too busy to text messages like we do at night." She pointed out. With a smile she walked off to her train, the conductor calling for anyone getting on. "Can't wait to hear about it after the first night!"

The doors closed, leaving me waiting for my train. Making sure no one saw me, I covered my face.

 _Fuck! W_ _hy did I say that?! I know she looked happy, and she said she was glad I'd be texting her about my internship, so why am I so damn embarrassed right now?! Didn't I say I'd just play it cool as being a friend? So why did that feel like the exact opposite!?_ I loudly thought to myself as my emotions became a maelstrom. _Damn Chikara! Ever since he said that about Ashido, it's just been hell for me! At least she didn't seem bothered by it though, that's a plus, right?._

* * *

Despite what Mason Ishi thought, Mina Ashido was actually just as panicked as he was. Even though she was in public, her face was so red it was visible on her pink cheeks.

 _Thank god the train arrived! Any longer and I might've lost it! Why does he have to be so nice? For trying to be just his friend, he's making it harder for me than it has to be._ She thought to herself.

Her plan had been to stick to being simply his friend, but the fact she now knew him and Hana hadn't been dating changed _everything_. She didn't have to wait. If she wanted to, she could've asked him right then and there.

At the same time, however, she didn't want to.

It felt like that Mason had some sort of shell around him. Not like the technique, he had used against Chikara, but an emotional one. She knew he had apparently not been one to socialize with people, yet that seemed like a lie the more time she spent with him.

It reminded her a bit of something Kirishima had gone through during their last year of middle school. The way they both smiled, yet still stayed back from overly talking to people. It was too familiar to be a coincidence.

Why was it that she felt so close to him, but at the same time know barely anything about him?

 _I shouldn't worry about it. Sure, it kinda stinks I can't talk with Kirishima and Hana, but_ _I'll enjoy the fact I'll have Mason to talk to, though. Maybe I can get him to open up a bit more than usual!_ She thought t herself, feeling a small smile making its way onto her face.

* * *

 **A/N: And here comes where I'll _really_ need to start brainstorming on what to do with the story. Welcome to the One Week Internship arc! We made it finally! Furthermore, we're seeing things from both of their views now. Have to say though, I'm liking the direction I'm taking this. Showing not just Mason, but Ashido's thoughts as well, even if it is the Third person.**

 **Grubkiller13579: Very lucky indeed you found this story on the same day I uploaded a new chapter. As for a ship name for Mason and Ashido, haven't really had time to think of one. Usually, I just go with the flow of what people decided to name a ship. Now for your Quirk question, I feel the teleporting to where things are marked one has some potential behind it.**

 **GreenD109: Well, with this it answers your question. 23 Pros scouting out our rocky boi. Not a lot like Todoroki, Bakugo, or a few others, but enough to make you do a double take. Wanted to say "around twenty", because it shows Mason doesn't really look at exact numbers for some things.**

 **Professor Writer: Thanks for the compliments man. I try my best with this story. Glad to see you're also excited about the future arcs to come. Writing this story is one of the things to hold me off while I wait for season 3 of the anime, in which, OH BOY! Things are in the planning phase with Mason's role in that. On the break thing, I tend to take a week off after uploading to just relax and catch up on writing, so don't worry.**

 **Raidentensho: The book Stone Fox was actually an inspiration for Mason, as both the character Stone Fox and Mason are of Native American heritage. Though Atlas was a name I had in mind.**

 **pokemonking0924: Hope this chapter cleared up the reason for Mason's Hero name. I felt Mason had to be one of the few students to have a "drive" behind his name. Like Deku for how it became a name, he takes pride in, or Kirishima paying homage to his idol. Like Midnight said, a Hero Name should be something you want the people to see you as.**

 **Time for the sneak peak of the next chapter!**

 **"He really did it. He actually wants to take you on, holy shit."**

 **"Make sure you all mind your manners with the Heroes at your internships."**

 **"You're going to show me what you got, Rocky."**

 **Let the Internship/Hero Killer Arc... BEGIN! Cue the new opening!**


	31. Chapter 31

My dad was surprised when I told him about my choice for the internship. Keep in mind, he wasn't surprised or spooked easily. Just like our powers, he was solid like a stone, never being thrown off or chipped away at during any situation. So seeing his eyes widen as he took the paper and looked at it shocked me.

"He really did it. He actually wants to take you on, holy shit. I thought he was bluffing" My dad said, still shocked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked as I got into some normal clothes, for me a pair of grey shorts and a sleeveless red shirt.

"This Iceberg guy, I uh... Used to know him. Kinda." My dad sat down after he set the paper down on the table we had in front of the couch. "Kuzan Fubuki. He went to Ketsubutsu High School, another Hero Academy. In short, U.A. and they were hard-fought rivals. He was like that Todoroki kid. Calm, collected, didn't talk much unless he had to. If you happened to get close to him he was actually one of the best friends you'd ever have."

"So why is it so surprising that he wanted to recruit me?" I asked, trying to find out the point. My dad was too cryptic sometimes.

"Well, you see, I talked to him during your fight with that Chikara kid. He _said_ he might put in an offer, and it seems he did. Not much I can tell you other than the usual. His Quirk was definitely weird. Could turn into ice and control his body however he wanted. The thing is that he has a time limit on his form, so he liked to get fights done and over with quickly. Surprised he does hostage situations though, never thought he'd be interested like that. Then again, I haven't seen him for about... Maybe fifteen years? I remember your mom was pregnant with you at the time, so sometime around there." He explained.

"I knew about his Quirk, but I didn't know you were friends with him. You knew a lot of people back then didn't you dad?"

He smiled as he laid back. "That I did. I only went to U.A. for two years, but damn, it was one hell of a time. I won't get too much into details, but despite that, people still kept in touch with me. Kuzan was one of them. I actually met him during the same one-week Internship thing you're doing."

"There can be more than one person in an internship?" I asked, surprised.

"Oh yeah there can. That's what most agencies want. The more interns you can get to apply to you, the more likely you may get them apply again in further years. Possibly even as a sidekick once they graduate."

"Your father's right." My mom said as she came in sat down by him. "It's like an art gallery. Can't do much if no one wants to put any art in the place. Same with an agency. Can't do much if no one wants to work there. Gonna miss you while you're gone for the week though. Are you gonna need help packing at all?" She asked me.

"Don't worry about it, Skylar!" My dad said as he grabbed my mom close, making her yelp out of surprise. "I'll call Kuzan and see what Mason should bring. It's the least we could do, right?"

I shook my head at how dramatic my dad could be sometimes. It was no surprise I got my humor from him, along with my blonde hair. He got up to go make the phone call, while my mom went back to finish cooking. No way was I going to be able to do much seeing I had my trip after this weekend.

That's just how they always were. Whenever I had a test or big event coming up, they'd make sure had all the time in the world to prepare for it. It was something nice they always did.

All I could do was go up into my room and see what clothes I should bring, along with books. I highly doubted I'd be able to bring my computer with me. This was for learning about what being a Hero was like, not some field trip.

A low buzz went off as I got the clothes I'd be wearing for the week out of my drawer and put into one of my dad's old suitcases. It had been my phone.

I rolled up the clothes to make more room before I looked to see what it was. Just like Ashido had said, it was Hana saying she wouldn't be able to text or even call while at her father's for the internship.

To be honest it made me sad. I had just found out I had known Hana for longer than I thought and had so much to talk about with her. So much to catch up on ever since that second year of middle school when her dad pulled her out.

Half an hour passed as I packed up what'd I need for the week. Apparently, all my dad had been told was to just bring some clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, and something to keep me busy when we weren't out patrolling. Even after the fact of telling me that, my dad was still talking with him until my mom had gotten dinner ready.

Dinner was simple, some chicken and rice stir-fry, and soy sauce on the side. Just like my dad, we both enjoyed having the soy sauce with the stir-fry so it had some more flavor to it.

My mom shook her head and smiled at me and my dad caught up on all the time we missed. How school had gone for me, and how my dad had actually been considering breaking out on the day of the USJ incident.

"Something wasn't right that day, kiddo." He said as he put down his fork. "It's like that feeling you get when something just isn't right. I'm glad the guards were there, though. If not that place would have a really big hole in the wall. Also," He folded his hands and put his chin on them. "I heard you went a bit... Well... Wild with your Quirk there."

I looked down with regret. "Y-yeah. It's just sometimes I get angry, and it begins to build up until-"

"It's okay son." He said as he put his hands on the table. "The shit you've had to go through is my fault first off. What matters is the fact you _know_ that it bottles up. You're a kind kid, and don't like to hurt people unless it's necessary. Or they make comments about your friends..."

"Huh?" I said, starting to sweat.

"No way in hell would you give that Chikara kid such a beating on a normal day. With the Togatta girl, you were way more refined, you held back. Heard the kid making a little comment about- and I'm not going to repeat what he said- But the beating you gave him was justified."

"Yeah..." I said, still looking down.

"Hey! I'm not mad at you. I'm glad you were able to make friends-"

"They don't know."

The room was filled with silence.

My dad's tone changed. "I see. They don't know."

I nodded.

My mom spoke up. "Mason hasn't told anyone about the bank robbery. Only Shota, a few teachers, heroes who were on scene that day, and the principal know."

My dad scratched his beard. "Well, until then we'll keep it on the down low. You'll tell them when you feel it's right, right Mason?"

"Yeah dad, I will," I answered, before finishing up my dinner.

* * *

All of us arrived at the station. We'd each be taking trains, or walking to our respective locations for the week. The conversation with my dad was still fresh in my mind, it had been for the whole weekend and even now.

Aizawa lined us up shoulder-to-shoulder, looking over us. "Everyone has their costumes, right? Remember you don't have permission to wear them in public yet and don't lose them or anything."

"Gotcha!" Ashido said as she raised the suitcase over her head.

"Speak properly!" He chastised. "It's yes sir, Ashido."

"Yes, sir..." She drawled as she let her arms drop down.

"Make sure you all mind your manners with the Heroes at your internships. Now get to it." He said, dismissing us.

"Yes, sir." We all said before heading off for our respective trains.

Putting on my best smile I waved to Ashido and Hana, as I walked in the opposite direction as they were. They both waved back, Ashido being more energetic as she went back and forth while Hana's was more of a small gesture.

Once I found my train I walked in, happy to see I'd be able to sit down with the empty chair right in front of me. It was a slow and boring ride. I almost fell asleep before the bell went off at my stop.

Getting up I quickly made my way up the stairs and to see the usual crowd of people and cars going around. My overall goal was to stop at Iceberg's agency. After some introduction and the usual stuff, I'd be brought back to his house, where I'd be staying for the week until I'd head back.

At first, I thought I'd have to refer to my map until I heard a loud horn go off next to me.

By instinct, I looked to my left as to see why it went off. Right there by the sidewalk was a red sports car, a Lamborghini I think. A reddish-brown-haired man was in it, glasses on his head, and really young looking. Almost like he had just gotten out of high school.

"Oi! You Mason Ishi?" He asked, his voice sounding a bit western, and light-toned. "I'm here to pick you up and bring you to Mr. Iceberg!"

"Yeah, that's me," I said as I walked up to him, opening the door to get in. Never had I been in a car that felt so... Home. It was a nice feeling.

"Good thing I caught ya in time! Boss thought you may have been making your way to the building, but he wasn't sure and sent me to come pick you up in case you got lost. By the way, the name's Megane, nice to meet you intern."

"Nice to meet you as well," I responded. "Are you one of his employees?" I asked him.

"Sure am. Been so for about two years now. It's a good job." We made a right turn and ended up going around a giant office building about thirty or so stories high. It was incredible to see, along with the ramp going underneath the building to what had to be the garage for the employees. Dozens of cars were under there, each occupying what had to be their own personal parking spot. Megane made his way into the only open one down here."Here we are." He said as he turned the car off and unlocked the doors.

From there we exited the car and headed over to brown, dark-colored doors. He took out a key from his pocket and put it into a keyhole before hitting the button to call what I assumed to be an elevator.

While we waited for it to come down I decided to get a better look at him. He was wearing blue jeans and a... What was it mom called it in America? Varsity jacket! He was wearing a maroon colored one, with a tiger's mouth open wide in a roar.

With a slight "ding" the doors opened. We walked into the silver colored box of an elevator. Megane hit a button, and the doors closed, locked, and we began to fly up as the elevator went up to the chosen floor of the building.

Thirty seconds went by before the doors opened up, showing a room that reminded me of something you'd see a rich person own. There was a mini-bar, a piano, and chairs and couches all over the room. Even more noticeable was the two flat screen TVs on the walls.

"Hey, boss! We're here!" Megane said in a sing-songy voice.

"Took you long enough." An extremely deep voice said. A tall, light-skinned man walked over wearing a white suit with a blue trim to it, along with a yellow and orange polka dotted tie. His black hair was incredibly curly, with skiing goggles resting on top of his head. "Just because I let you drive one of my cars doesn't mean you can take forever getting back."

Megane walked up to him. "Listen traffic was hectic, okay?!"

"You taking a tone with me punk!?" The man I guessed was Iceberg shouted, his forehead pushing against Megane's own. He then stepped back, clearing his throat. "Sorry for that. I take it you're Mason Ishi?" He asked me.

I quickly nodded and gave a slight bow, my blonde hair falling down past my face. "Yes, sir."

He gave a slight chuckle. "I take it Shota made sure you said that? Surprised he became a teacher. Anyways, let's just have some nice conversation, shall we?" He walked over to the mini-bar. Megane jumped right into one of the seats and swiveled around to watch one of the TVs. I hadn't noticed that one was currently showing the news of the day, along with the weather. "What'll you have Kid?"

"Root beer, please," I responded.

"You Megane?" He asked the man.

"Just some water. Throat's feeling a bit scratchy."

Iceberg reached underneath and pulled out a can of root beer for me, and a bottle of water for Megane. I opened it up slowly, just in case it had been shaken too much. With a satisfying hiss it opened, and I took a sip. Meanwhile, Megane drank the bottle of water in one go, slamming it onto the counter.

"So you decided to come to my agency," Iceberg said to me.

"Yeah, I wanted to-"

He put his hand up, stopping me from finishing. "Listen, I don't care why you chose my agency." His voice became cold. "Any idiot who asks that clearly needs to find more brain cells. I chose my line of work for a reason. It's clear when a student coming from one of the most prestigious Hero academies in Japan comes to my agency, they're here because they know what they want to do. Or," He tapped his fingers against the counter repeatedly. It began to feel cold for some reason. Unlike when your hand would get used to it and heat up the surface. "Are you here just because I'm a top-ranked-"

"No," I said defiantly, making Megane fall out of his chair a bit from how forceful I was in cutting Iceberg off. "I'm here to save people. If you're any friend of my dad, you'd know why I'm _here._ "

He clapped his hands and let out a booming laugh, a wide smile on his face. "Hahahaha! Now that's what I like to hear! You Kid, just made this week of yours a little bit easier. You passed the first test."

"You can say that again boss..." Megane said, nervously getting back into his chair. "Kid has power in his words."

"Sorry about that!" I apologized. "Sometimes I can-"

"Let your emotions get you?" I looked at Iceberg. "It happens to the best of us. That poor Chikara kid though..." He made a wincing sound. "You're definitely your father's son. Nice one minute, putting somebody through a wall the next. Anyhow, guess I need to give the whole speech of 'what it is a hero does!'." He said sarcastically. He grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip, putting his arm on the counter. "Put simply, we're civil servants of a different kind. Sort of a more physical cop. Say someone was robbing a store and made a run for it. A Hero could take them down and detain them until the proper authorities arrive. Differences between us and a cop?" He asked, taking another sip. "Heroes have the privilege of using their Quirks, and required force, if necessary. Don't get me wrong, we can't hurt them severely, but we keeping people safe is a very high priority."

"We're like police officers, but fewer restrictions," Megane explained, trying to make it simple. "That and it guarantees fewer people getting hurt if a criminal is using their powers. After they're detained, we have to fill out a report, and from there we're given payment from the government depending on our performance. In short, we keep civilians safe from criminals, natural disasters, and anything else that could pose harm. We, however," He winked at me. "Are in a different kind of business."

"Hostage situations, right?" I asked.

"Correct," Iceberg stated. "Hostage situations, kidnappings, and raids on drug dealings. All requiring precise planning, and even more precise infiltration and actions. That's the work you're signing up for. As for if you'll get any action, that's unclear. Usually, I have sidekicks doing patrols so if anything happens, we can have some information on what's going on."

"So what will I be doing?" I asked, confused.

"Training!" Megane shouted excitedly. "We always do training sessions for different situations. You lucked out today though. Seeing you're our only intern, we decided to have this whole next week be nothing but training specified to _you._ "

"What?"

"Yes," Iceberg agreed. "Each day you will be put through a different situation. Hostage rescue, panic control, and, the rarest of them all... On-site training."

"On... Site?" I asked, even more, confused now.

"You'll see!" Megane said before getting up. "Well Boss, time for me to get back to work now."

"You better, punk. I'm not paying just to sit around."

"Sitting around, filing papers, isn't it technically the same?" He retorted, making Iceberg fume as he got into the elevator, leaving me with the angry Hero.

* * *

Up until the afternoon, I was given a tour of the building to get myself acquainted. The building was cut into five major areas where people would work. Including Iceberg's personal office that might as well have been a penthouse hotel room.

First was the Informational Floor. Reports were filed for any Hero activities done by employees, along with some of the more business things, such as budgets and finances.

After that was the second floor, which was a bit more interesting. The "Barracks" Iceberg liked to call it. It was basically a recreational room and locker rooms all over.

"Working all day can be tiring, so I thought it'd be good for people to relax when switching between patrols." He explained as we went past some people playing pool.

The third and fourth floors were incredibly similar. It was basically what you would expect out of an office building. Printers, copiers, numerous cubicles where people were busy at work. The only thing that was different was it seemed much more lively, people going left and right with carts and folders in hand.

Then finally, was the very last floor. We got into the elevator and proceeded to head back to the first floor. We ended up taking a few rights and a left before we stopped at two metal double-doors. Iceberg took out a key and opened both of them, pushing them open.

As we walked down the hallway I could see multiple exercise rooms. Weights, treadmills, even a swimming pool where one single person was doing laps.

"What is this place?" I asked, looking around.

"This here is the training facility. Physical training, as well as where you'll be practicing for those different situations. For today though," He opened up doors to show what seemed like a dojo. "You're going to show me what you got, Rocky." He said as he took off his suit and tie, revealing a black tank-top, his skin turning into ice as he got into a stance, his fist up in the air like a boxer.

"Wh-what!?"

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome to the internship young Mason! Hopefully, you won't be put on the ice. Or given a _cold_ shoulder! Sorry, had to do that. Hopefully, this wasn't too much of a cliffhanger. I've been planning for there to be some more focused training for Mason, as we can see that he may be strong, but he either holds back too much or not enough to where people end up like Chikara. Or that Zero-Pointer from the entrance exams. Good thing Iceberg is made of ice because Mason is gonna need it after this one. Also, bless you Horikoshi for the latest chapter and chapters to come, this information shall be used to its fullest for my situation. To the reviews!**

 **GreenD109: I'm not going to have him _incredibly_ involved, but more taking advantage of the chaos and putting him into a setting other than just fighting villains. **

**Professor Writer: I was thinking of "Mashido" for classic's sake, but do feel free to let me know if you come up with another. Glad to see you're excited about the Internship Arc, just like I'm excited to write it and get stuff set up, and overall for us to have some alone time with Mason.**

 **pokemonking0924: You're welcome, bud, I don't just name people without thinking about it ya know! These things must be handled carefully, and who am I kidding I just did cause it sounded cool, to be honest for both Mason and Hanakabe. Hoping to do more with Ashido and Mason too, as I feel now is the time for the audience to see where both characters stand with their feelings, and to move forward with it.**

 **one step behind: Good news and bad news, you didn't get to see that "date" (more of just helping Mina since she got no offers, poor girl.), but the good thing is I do plan on doing things in this arc to help Mason grow. I feel the internships showed characters where they want to stand as heroes. As for Mason being in the Stain fight, naw. Just gonna say, he won't be in it. In the city? Yes. Just won't be in one of the best fights of the season.**

 **Preview of next chapter, here we go!**

 **"Correct. Now be ready."**

 **"Sometimes people need to be hurt, in order for others to avoid being hurt."**

 **"What!? He's waiting outside!?"**


	32. Chapter 32

"Go ahead, you can put on your costume if that helps at all," Iceberg said, pointing his thumb behind him at the locker room.

I went inside and changed into my costume. I switched into the smooth, black pants, and put on the dark orange, almost brown kevlar vest. The final part was the red samurai-like gauntlets.

For a second I wondered if I should put on the black mask that would cover the lower half of my face. From what my dad said, apparently Iceberg's Quirk let him turn into ice, and control it however he wanted. It was that final part that made me put it on but not fully. If it got cold, I'd pull it up.

Iceberg nodded as I walked out in my hero costume. "Good look. Now it says your Quirk is earth manipulation, right? Do you have a way of-"

Flicking my wrist, I made a stone knife and then flashed the container on my waist behind me. "A hero should be prepared for all situations, right?"

"Correct. Now, be ready."

With that his entire arm was covered- No, that's incorrect. His arm _became_ ice and shot out at me in the form of a snake. I spun on my heel to the right, taking the stone knife and cutting down as I fastened the canister of dirt back onto my belt.

Even though I cut it little ways down from the head, that didn't stop it from going for another strike. The long stump struck again, going for my gut. Once again, I spun on my heel to avoid it. Even if I knew what his Quirk was, that didn't mean I could _assume_ what he was capable of.

He was a Pro, and if Aizawa told me anything, Pros are always full of surprises.

My thinking was interrupted as I felt Iceberg enter my range. I barely had time to react as he went for a left hook. Dropping low I kicked his legs from underneath him, tripping him.

It seemed he was going to fall down until his left arm turned to ice as well, keeping his body suspended. He took his leg and kicked me right in the stomach and onto the ground. As I got up I felt his footsteps moving towards me.

He raised his right hand and slammed it down as I rolled away, the spot where my torso had been now occupied by a sheet of ice. Taking the chance I threw the stone knife and put my hands into a praying formation, keeping my fingers straight. It turned into a shuriken-like projectile, spinning like a circular saw and cutting off his right forearm.

"Ah, so you're going on the offensive finally," Iceberg said, his eyes filled with a calm focus as if he wasn't bothered by his arm being partially cut off. "Good. Now I can see what you're made of."

The severed forearm floated back up as if it was in rewind. Instantly his right arm was whole in its icy form, the tall man clenching his fist before he ran in my direction to attack.

All I could do was put up my own fist, and try to fight. Once again he went for that wide left hook he seemed to favor. I brought up my left arm, blocking and pushing it away as I took my right and punched his chest, following with my left, and my right again.

He staggered back, looking surprised. Taking advantage of this I charged forward, slamming my elbow into his chest, springing my forearm upward, followed by a final jab with my left as my arm recoiled from using my forearm. Dazed, he stepped back trying to comprehend what just happened.

A shout almost left my throat as Iceberg brought up his face. It was only then I remembered the bits of ice that flew from each of my attacks. It was one of the most horrifying things I had seen since that time Nomu regenerated his limbs back at the USJ.

His face was white as snow, even his eyes. Yet his face was broken as if it were made out of glass. Where his mouth would've been was nothing, his jaw was completely gone, a crack going down his left eye, splitting it in half.

This didn't make the following process any better as everything came back like it was in rewind. With resounding cracking sounds, his face was back to how it was, except for the fact he was in his "ice" form.

He didn't stop after his face was back to normal. His left arm became bulkier as it enlargened to three times its size. Similar to how that girl Kendo from 1-B could enlarge her fists. With it he punched forward, hitting me in my right shoulder before he struck with his normal-sized right fist in my left.

With a low kick, I found my legs frozen as my whole leg passed through his own. It didn't take a genius to know what was about to happen. He had me perfectly restrained to the point dodging was difficult, and running impossible.

 _Well, now's a good time as any._ I thought to myself as I brought up my arms, and slashing in an X, similar to All Might's Carolina Smash.

My gauntlets hissed as sand shot out from my knuckles. They turned into stone spikes and shot forward, going right through his icy body. With some force I sharply twisted my foot, breaking free from the ice. There was still a good chunk stuck on my boots, but at least I could move now as opposed to a few seconds ago.

I moved my right hand, pulling my ring finger in to bring the sand around me. This was more than enough for me to do anything that I needed to in this fight. I threw out my hands, palms facing Iceberg.

The sand shot forward like a shotgun spread. Even if he did dodge, they were spread out so much he'd get hit no matter what direction he went to evade. Once they passed through him, I turned my right hand for a beckoning motion.

Before they could come back for me to attack again, Iceberg ducked low, dodging them, and froze the entire floor as fast as I could blink. I held out my hand, ready to have a stone staff on hand to counter him. I didn't have the chance as he went for a left hook, this time lower aimed at my chest rather than my neck.

"White," He began to say, bringing his arm just under my armpits for a clothesline, the ice beginning to spread and keep my arms in place just as the stone staff formed in my hands. At this point, I couldn't even move if I wanted to. I attempted to turn to dodge, only to see my feet were once again frozen to the floor. _"LARIAT!"_ He finished, slamming me into the ground.

I closed my eyes as the breath was knocked out of me, taking deep breaths as I recovered from the furious attack. Iceberg let out a long sigh as his skin returned to its normal shade of white. The ice I had been stuck in melted into cold water, allowing me to sit up, and let the warmth return to my arms.

"Well, kid, you got the power and skill," He began. "But you lack any sort of motivation outside of fighting to simply fight. Mind telling me why that is?"

Using my hand to help me get to my feet, I stood up and brushed off the water droplets. "I guess I was just trying to adjust to a new opponent is all."

He made a clicking sound, moving his finger back and forth. "Ah, ah, ah. Listen Jishin has tried that with me when we met and failed miserably. You're both terrible liars. Now that I think about it, with that fight with Bakugo, you seemed to do the same thing. Multiple times you could've taken me out quite easily. You even had those gauntlets you were keeping a secret."

"I-I guess..." I walked over and sat against the wall. "As someone with a powerful Quirk, I tend to get afraid of losing it. Even if my opponent will be fine, I can't go out of my way to hurt someone unless I'm pushed."

"Because of five years ago?" I nodded in response. "Yeah, Jishin and Aizawa were afraid of that. With the Togatta girl, you seemed to be focused and refined. Chikara, more erratic. Compared to a rapier, with him you were like a whip with spikes, lashing out everywhere. With Bakugo however," He pointed out, his index pointed at the ceiling. "You seemed to be like a wolf scouting a herd of sheep, looking for the weakest of the herd. Not as gusty as with the other two. As for losing it, it happens. There comes a time when people- Whether Hero, villain or just a citizen, needs to defend themselves using more force than their accustomed to."

"I can't bring myself to hurt someone like that though. Quirk or not I won't bring myself to use my Quirk with that much harmful intent behind it. What if I hurt someone beyond just a little hospital visit?"

"All Heroes have that thought in their mind. It's the fact that we have Quirks that has made us need to look at life differently." He made a fist, turning his hand into ice, giving it a somber look. "Remember that Heroes face all kinds of situations. The degree we have to hold back is a constant reminder as we go into a situation that calls for the use of force. So just know, that it's okay." He said in a low tone. "It's okay if you worry about how much you may hurt someone, but even then, remember what you're here for. To be a Hero, and save people even if they don't want to be saved. Sometimes people need to be hurt, in order for others to avoid being hurt."

"I understand that," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "But hurting people isn't all of it. When I'm faced with a difficult problem, I let it be just that, a problem. Once the bank robbery happened, all people saw me as was a cookie-cutter image of my dad. Not _once_ , did I get to _me."_ I said resoundingly. "That anger is what I'm afraid of letting out," I admitted. "When the pressure is put on me, I lash out." I took my right hand, beckoning the sand towards me, and back into my gauntlets and small canister. "Chikara made a comment about a friend of mine, someone who saw me for who _I_ was. I was 'erratic' with him because she had _nothing_ to do with my own problems. He had no right to make a comment like that, nor try to use her as a way to provoke me."

"So you're afraid of going wild because you never had an outlet for that frustration?"

I nodded my head again. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Understandable. That's why I wanted to take you on. This isn't just training to have you used to what a Hero does, it's also so you can gain some confidence in yourself, and have that outlet." He stood up, and so did I.

"I lack confidence?" I asked, confused that was the problem.

"You lack confidence in controlling your abilities _,_ along with having too much restraint. You're good at being social and your grades are some of the highest. Fact is you need to learn that sometimes you need to be forceful with your opponent, but not severely injure them. We're done with training for today. For now, let's get some lunch. After that, a two-hour patrol, followed by heading to my house where you'll be staying."

"G-got it," I replied, realizing I stuttered, and that I had much more learn than I thought I did when I walked into the agency I'd be staying at for the next week.

* * *

Lunch was pretty simple. We had ordered some take-out and ate up in Kuzan's- Iceberg's- personal office. We talked over some General Tso chicken, and bottles of water as the news played on the flat screen.

The conversation was mostly about how to handle my power in general. Mostly stuff I had told everyone else- I could manipulate any mineral-based material however I wished, and that same material was like clay in my hands if I physically touched it.

"So you could take a staff, turn it into sand, and make harden in a second after hitting someone?" Iceberg asked.

"Yeah. My mom's Quirk is Shaping. Unlike me, she can mold anything like it's clay and it'll instantly harden once she's finished molding it."

He stroked his chin. "Hmm... Definitely good for your case. You see, Jishin was a lot more deliberate with his power, unlike you. He'd throw boulders, even miniature sandstorms if he had to. You, however, can have a weapon on hand whenever you want, plus said boulders and sandstorms. Your problem, like I said, is confidence. If it isn't a fight you know you can win, or you're pushed to the edge, you lose the motivation to fight. You treat training as just that- training."

"So I need to see every fight as the real deal?"

He nodded. "Not exactly. You're Quirk can easily shut down any opponent. Turn the ground to sand, and then back to stone, they can't move. It's rare you'll respond to a Villain who can negate that sort of power. You just have to go in with the right mindset instead of treating it as if it doesn't matter." He took a bite of chicken, and then a sip of water. "For the rest of the day, you'll do a patrol with some of my sidekicks. Who knows, you might show them a thing or two. You're one of the few powerhouses at this agency for the week."

"Few?!" I said surprised. "So you mean that I'm..." I pointed at myself.

"To be clear, you're number five or so. But that's just because of your current problems. Overall, I had three students I was hoping to get out of your class, you included."

"So, who are the other two?"

"Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo." He said, putting down his food and drink, laying one of his legs over the other. "Both of them have extremely powerful Quirks, just like you. Hell, you're at a good point that any good Hero would want you as a capable sidekick. Yet all three of you need some tuning. No doubt the other two probably had different ideas for their internships though. Oh well, that's just how the dice rolls. Now, you should get going. You remember what floor the recreational rooms were on? Patrols should be switching right about now. Don't worry, we'll do one together before this week is over. Do good out there."

I stood up and gave a slight bow. "Yes, sir."

* * *

The patrol went by extremely quick. Nothing happened to me and the three sidekicks from Iceberg's agency as we walked around the city. We made sure to keep an eye on anything that could be going on. Just as I said though, nothing happened other than some people asking if I was a new sidekick.

We later arrived at Iceberg's house, driving there in the Lamborghini Megane had brought me in. Once I got back to the agency and into my school uniform that is. Surprisingly it was a long drive, but that could have just been the traffic.

To describe his house, it was fairly normal. Not like an apartment building, but more like the type you'd see in those friendly neighborhoods in a show or movie. Numerous houses, and a road that had houses all over.

He went into the driveway of a red-colored one, with a garage already occupied by a jeep.

 _So he doesn't live alone? Or is it someone visiting?_ I thought to myself.

"Oh, looks like Choryu is back early. Didn't expect her to be home before I was." He said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Choryu?" I asked.

"Oh, you don't know, forgot about that. Choryu is my daughter. She's your age, actually. Jeep must be Kuga's. He picks her up from school and drops her off when I end up working past when school ends for her." He explains. "Kuga is my 'sidekick', as in the first at my agency. He has wings to help fly, so he doesn't really need to have a car or the like at his house, so I let him park it here."

"That's nice," I commented.

"He's done a lot for me in the past," Iceberg said as he parked the car next to the jeep, unlocking the doors. "Well, time to break the news to her. She doesn't quite know about you being here for the week yet." He said with, a nervous smile on his face.

"You didn't tell her?!" I said part disappointed and part surprised.

"Hey now! She knows I put in for some interns, she just doesn't know I _got_ one." He explained frantically. "Anyhow, just wait here, and I'll call you in once everything's settled."

Taking out my phone, I nodded. "Okay. I need to get some stuff done beforehand anyways."

"Got a girlfriend?" He asked me, a smug look on his face.

"Listen she's just a friend!" I yelled as he closed the door separating what looked like the kitchen from the garage. Saying "she" dug myself a deeper hole as I realized I had said it on impulse.

Even away from home, I couldn't be spared from someone teasing me about Ashido. It wasn't direct, but the situation was basically the same.

I couldn't be sure if Ashido had finished her internship work for the day, so I just sent her a simple text.

"I'm done with work for today, so you can text me if once you're able to. Wasn't sure if you were off yet." I sent.

"What!? He's waiting outside!?" I heard a girl shout behind the door. This was followed by running as the door was whipped open, revealing who I assumed was Choryu. She had black, curly hair like her father, tied into a bun on her head. The only difference was her purple eyes as opposed to Iceberg's ice blue. She wore a black t-shirt and sweatpants.

 _Wait._ I thought to myself. I looked down at my own sweatpants, and then at hers. _They're the same exact brand..._

"Sorry for my dad keeping you out here for so long. Come in! Dinner's ready!" She cheerfully said. It was then I realized she had fish scales on her face, and along her arms.

Shaking my head, I decided to keep the analyzing for later. Keeping my host waiting was more disrespectful than apparently keeping me waiting according to Iceberg's daughter. Doing just that, I walked right into the comforting house I'd be staying in for the following week.

* * *

 **A/N: Before someone says it, yes. I based Kuzan off of Kuzan from One Piece. It wasn't until the later stages of development I realized this happened XD. Also, his daughter Choryu's name means "tide", so with her fish-scales, you could make a few assumptions about what her Quirk is. Enough on that though. Seems Mason is finding out more and more about his flaws as a person and how he fights. Only time and story shall tell if he overcomes these things though. Now, to the reviews from the last chapter!**

 **Professor Writer: Yes, I did use him as some inspiration. Also here's your fight man, cliffhangers are a good way to have people coming back after all.**

 **61394: You're right, except this Aokiji is working almost 24/7 the poor guy.**

 **pokemonking0924: Sure do plan on Mason learning some stuff, and this fight will give him some insight into not just fighting Todoroki, but stronger foes in general. Right now Mason is only seeing the tip of the iceberg with how strong one's Quirk can be.**

 **Now for the sneak peek of next chapter!**

 **"Hey, you need to wake up."**

 **"They really don't do training like they used to, huh?"**

 **"This is not a drill!"**


	33. Chapter 33

"Hey, you need to wake up." I heard a voice say, simultaneously shaking my shoulder lightly, but still enough for me to wake up.

Drowsily I opened my eyes and looked up, having used the couch in the living room as my bed. It only took the fish scales on her face for me to make out it was Chroyu trying to wake me up. "H-huh?" I said, still trying to wake up.

"Da- Iceberg needs you to get up. Time for breakfast." She said, correcting herself when she went to say "dad".

She stepped back as I sat up, which seemed to surprise her. Did she think I wouldn't wake up so easily? To be fair, I wasn't much of a morning person. But even if it was a school day I'd still wake because I had to.

This internship wasn't any different. I had to wake up, so I got up. As I did, Choryu covered her mouth as she laughed.

"Sorry, it's just-" She let out another laugh, this one a bit more deliberate. "Your hair seems to be giving you trouble." She pointed her finger at my sandy-blonde hair.

My hand drifted up to it, and already I could tell it was a mess. That was the thing about having long hair. It became a mess when you woke up from a night's sleep. All I could do was use my finger to comb it down in an effort to tame the damn mess.

She walked into what I assumed was the kitchen as I gathered my bearings and headed there myself. My pajamas for the night had been a t-shirt and shorts. Choryu was wearing a long nightdress, and Iceberg a dark blue bathrobe.

He seemed just as tired as he filled his mug with coffee and quite a few spoonfuls of sugar. His head turned to me, his eyes looking just as tired as I was.

"Sorry to wake you up so early Mason. But it's how the work of a hero is." He apologized, before taking a drink from his mug.

"You really don't have to get up this early dad," Choryu said as if she was chastising him. "It's only six AM. Most of the neighborhood is still asleep."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean something couldn't happen. Early in the morning, and late at night are when most robberies happen. People aren't as on guard." Iceberg pointed out as he sat down. "Now, to the point of this. Jishin and Skylar told me you cook Mason. Might've become a chef too if you hadn't gotten accepted into U.A. But are you _that_ good?" He asked, his tone turning sharp and inquisitive.

I rolled my eyes, already knowing where this is going. "You want me to cook?"

"Yes," They both said, almost as soon as I finished my sentence. Had my parents made me sound like some sort of super chef?

"Well, fine," I said, not in the mood to argue. "Just let me wake up a bit and I'll get to it. Anything particular for breakfast?" I asked. It was a habit I picked up since you could never know what a person's taste was.

"Surprise us," Iceberg said with a wide smile on his face.

* * *

If there was one thing you had to know as a cook, was "surprise me" was one of the worst things people could say. You were basically given permission of what the person was going to eat for their meal. It would either make or break their day until they got something else to eat.

You can imagine how nervous I was as I got the ingredients I'd need in order to cook up something for the three of us to eat. I couldn't just make something I enjoyed either, I had to keep Iceberg and Choryu in mind as well.

With that in mind, I decided to make something nice and simple. Eggs and rice.

I cracked five eggs to scramble and boiled some rice as I kept an eye on the eggs so they didn't burn too badly. I like to keep eggs as yellow as possible but still cooked enough so they were nice and fluffy. Meanwhile, Choryu had gone and changed into what I assume was her school's uniform.

It was a white shirt and skirt, along with a tan-colored suit of sorts over it. Then I realized, it looked like a female version of the uniform Iida had worn during the entrance exam when he pointed out there were four types of robots.

Iceberg had changed into the suit he had been wearing yesterday. Except for this time, it was a plain black tie instead of the yellow and orange polka dotted one from yesterday.

Once the rice was done, and the eggs nice yellow and scrambled, I placed the rice into bowls, putting pieces of scrambled eggs on top. Part of me kinda got too into it as I took down some glasses, filling Iceberg's cup with coffee, and Choryu's with orange juice like I was some kind of butler.

They looked at me, and then back to the bowls and drinks.

"Wow, your parents weren't kidding. You have a knack for setting up a table." He took his chopsticks and ate a piece of rice and eggs. "And for cooking. This is pretty good."

Choryu nodded, seeming to be in a rush to eat as she took huge chunks of rice into her mouth. "I'd like to enjoy it more Mr. Ishi, but I have to get going. See you later tonight dad!" She said as she drunk down the orange juice, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

Iceberg didn't even get to say anything as the door closed. He let out an audible sigh.

"You okay?" I asked, taking a bite from my own bowl.

"Yeah..." He groaned. "She's always like that, don't worry. Most likely she just doesn't want to get in the way of anything I have to say to you since you're interning with me. She wants to have a _fresh_ experience." He chuckled.

"She's looking to be a Hero?" I asked, curious.

He took a moment to answer. "Well, I can't really say. Choryu shows interest, but... I don't want her to. It just may be me getting paranoid, but I feel something's about to change."

"Change?"

"Yes," He nodded. "When All Might became a Hero, he made major moves. Crime decreased by the day at a rapid rate. Before any of us knew it, he became the Number One Hero, and... The Symbol of Peace. I just feel that the dam he's built is going to 'burst' soon if you understand. And I don't want her to become a Hero in the middle of that." He explained. "Then again," He smiled. "That's probably just me being paranoid!" He said with a laugh."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Plus, I feel you won't have to worry."

"Why's that?" He asked inquisitively, almost like an interrogator. "Got the hots for my daughter ya punk?"

I put my hands up in defense. "Not like that! I mean you can trust those of who us who _will_ be heroes. After all, it's because of All Might most of us want to become Heroes. Heroes like him."

"Well, you have different reasons though. That much I've been told." Iceberg said. "Keep being you kid, and you'll go far. You're a good person. A _kind_ person. Don't lose sight of that." He took another sip, and so did I of my glass of milk. There was a good bit of silence before he spoke again. "She's in her last year of middle school you know, in case you're interested."

Quickly I had to head over to the sink in order to not spit the milk in my mouth all over Iceberg. As I coughed my lungs up from the unexpected comment he let out a booming laugh.

"Gets them every time!" He said, slamming his fist against the table as her let out a booming laugh.

* * *

Despite it being my first official day of training, Iceberg wasted no time having me prepare. I was told to put on my costume, along with a few sidekicks who were there. Much to my disappointment, the first thing people noticed once I took my shirt off was my body.

"Holy shit, that kid's ripped!" I heard someone say.

"They really don't do training like they used to, huh?"

I put on the sleeveless outfit and fastened on my gauntlets. To be honest I was used, and even expected that reaction. I didn't just suddenly decided to become a Hero last minute.

Ever since that day when Hana had given me the idea, to "show them that you're _you"_ , I had trained. That training including everything. Lifting to the point my arms felt like jelly, to running to feeling like I'd breathe fire.

All of it was worth it to get to this very spot. After being an intern for maybe until my third year, I'd make my official debut as a Hero. Become the person I wanted to be, and not who people saw me as for what my dad did. It was annoying that I had been driven this far to show them otherwise, but I had to do it.

Not for others, but for me.

"I just work out a lot," I replied. "Can't be a Hero without being in shape for it, right?"

"Good point." A lighter voice said. He walked up next to me, a racing helmet on only showing his eyes orange with multiple rings around his eyes. "I take it you're the intern for the Boss?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, nodding and pulling on my mask. "Name's Stone Fox."

He put out his hand for me to shake it. "Nice to meet ya, Fox. Name's Velocio."

I shook his hand firmly. He had a good grip, then again that could've been the thick gloves he had on. "So what kind of training is this exactly?" I asked. "I know Iceberg's agency handles Hostage Situations, rescues, and sometimes the occasional gang raids, but what exactly are we doing?"

His eyes let up. Most likely he was smiling under that helmet. "Sadly we can't tell ya until we get there buddy. Ruins the fresh experience."

Others in the room began to laugh at that comment. Some even made comments on their first experiences for training, and how they couldn't wait to see me react. What exactly was I about to go through?

After getting all of our costumes on, I saw that in total there was eight of us in this training exercise. We walked into the training area I had been shown yesterday, looking up at the massive ceiling to see that the room was extremely large.

Wooden boards had been set up all over like some sort of maze. Some even fit for cover, while even actual small buildings like an old village were set up as well. Overall it was surprising to see an agency have an entire training area set up like this. Was this for the hostage situations?

We continued to walk until we stopped in front of Megane. He was wearing a maroon trench coat and wide circle glasses that caught the lights, making his eyes unseeable.

"Good morning fellas. Today's training exercise was precisely created for our intern that's come from U.A. Ishi if you'd please stand next to me." He asked. I walked on over, putting my hands behind me in an act to be professional. He motioned to me. "This here is Mason Ishi. Hero name Stone Fox. He's going to be here for the next five days and participate in patrols, training exercises, and any possibly if we're called in for a situation. Make sure to show what those of the Iceberg Hero Agency is all about!"

"Sir yes sir!" They shouted, like a group of soldiers responding to their commanding officer.

"Now, today's exercise will be a simple hostage situation. Somewhere in this mock rural village is _one_ hostage. There are a total of twelve perpetrators on site. Whether they are patrolling or not is not known. The perpetrators may only communicate via walkie-talkies," He pulled one out to demonstrate. "Or if they can see another perp shout if they see any of you. In short, the objective is to rescue the hostage without being detected so we can send in a squad to clear them out, or you can clear them out on your way to the hostage. You have five minutes to prepare a strategy. Good luck." He ended before walking around the setup.

As soon as Megane left the other seven began to already discuss a strategy. No doubt this wasn't the first time they had to do one of these training exercises, so of course, they'd have a plan set ahead of time.

I walked over, to which they made room in the huddle we formed. Velocio began talking, using his hands as he spoke. "So there's eight of us, twelve of them. Anyone happen to know who is on the other team?"

A girl in a suit similar to Uraraka's hero costume spoke up, her helmet looking more like a Spartan's. "I only know one, since he was last to go in before you guys had to change. Rin."

Velocio snapped his fingers. "Well seems we'll have a bit of a challenge then." He remarked.

"what's bad about Rin?" I asked.

Everyone looked at me. Velocio took the lead in explaining. "Rin is one of Iceberg's go-to guys, just like Megane is. If you had to rank the sidekicks here, he'd be in the top five. His Quirk allows him to teleport anywhere he can visibly see. Meaning their best chance would either have him stay with the hostage to switch buildings, or basically be a one-man patrol."

"So why don't we take it slow from different sides of the village?" I suggested. "If he _is_ with the hostage, he'd only be able to go to either one of the paths between the houses, or the top of one. If he can only teleport to where he can see, wouldn't he be in the tallest building anyways?" I pointed out, looking at the tallest building in the setup.

The girl spoke up once again. "He's got a point. Rin would make sure to have a vantage point. Anytime he's out on patrols he makes sure to get on top of buildings so he can be anywhere in a flash."

Another sidekick, a burly man wearing modified American Football gear with spiked shoulder pads spoke up. "So we each infiltrate from different areas, and just sweep the houses? Sounds time-consuming." He complained.

"Which is why we should do teams of two," I said, putting some force into my voice. "Four teams of two, each coming in from a cardinal direction. One defensive, one offensive Quirk user. That way if anyone does find the hostage, there's a better chance of securing them."

"What makes you think it'll work?" Spikey shoulders said, not sounding the least bit convinced of my strategy.

"Because of logic. No doubt they have either four or fewer people with the hostage. Rin is at the center building for advantage with his Quirk, and about seven or so people can be patrolling the same way we'll be infiltrating."

"That leaves one more left though. Four with the hostage, Rin, and seven others. So three divided by two is six, leaving one left." He pointed out.

"Yes, Rin's cover," Velocio explained. "He isn't cocky. He knows that soon as he uses his Quirk, he'll be found out. So he probably has someone covering his back while he scans from the center building."

The armored man let out a sound of realization. "Ohhhhhh..."

"Exactly." The woman said. "So is that our plan? Any objections?" No one raised a hand or said a word. "Okay, time to split up then. Velocio is okay if I take the rookie?"

He nodded. "Sure. You're an emitter, right Stone Fox? Earth manipulation?"

"Yes." I agreed. "My range is twenty-feet, but I can throw objects if I have to. I can also detect vibrations through the ground if they're in my range."

The woman put out her hand, to which I shook it. "Diamante. I can turn my skin and anything that touches my skin into diamond. And I can turn it into a weapon if I want." She lifted her hand, turning it into diamond, and then into a wide blade. She had a hardening-type Quirk like Tetsutetsu and Kirishima from the looks of it, except for the weapon part.

After she explained a loud timer went off. Megane's voice sounded from what had to be an intercom or a megaphone. "Time's up! Attackers get into position for infiltration, defenders protect the hostage or capture the attackers! You have five minutes to complete your objectives!"

I and Diamante got into our positions at the East side of the village. With the walkie-talkie in my hand, I spoke into it. "We're all set on the East side, copy," I reported.

"Northside is set," Velocio reported.

"Westside is ready to infiltrate." The shoulder pad said, his voice gruff as he cleared it.

Another voice spoke, this one sounding mature, yet at the same time young. "Southside is ready."

Once we were done reporting whether we were ready or not, the alarm sounded. Everyone looked around surprised. I looked at Diamante, who sighed as she gave me an apologetic look.

"Fire alarm. Well, this sucks. The weird thing is though, last I remember we weren't supposed to have one this week."

"Really?" I asked. "So what do we do? Leave the building?"

"Okay everyone, listen up!" I heard Megane shout over the loudspeakers. "This is not a drill! Everyone evacuate the building right now! There is a fire on the second floor! All water-related Quirk users report up there for damage control while everyone else heads to the parking lot! Repeat! This is not a drill, this is the real deal!"

* * *

 **A/N: Don't you just hate that? You have a class or need to do something important, and then the fire alarm sounds out of nowhere. Then again, this does seem to be out of nowhere. After all, what's a "Stain Arc" without seeing how the carnage affects a city, along with some intrigue? Let's rock and roll people!**

 **Chance Green G King: It definitely was. One Mason is gonna learn soon with how scummy some Villains can be.**

 **pokemonking0924: Yeah I plan on showing Choryu some more. I got plans for her, and for this internship as well. It won't be long, but Choryu won't be unforgotten after this.**

 **D3lph0xL0v3r: I upload once every other week. So there won't be one next Friday, but there will the Friday after that.**

 **Now for the sneak peek of next chapter!**

" **Come on, show me!"**

 **"What!? Are you okay?!"**

 **"You heard him punks,"**


	34. Chapter 34

Even after the firefighters had arrived at the building to make sure everything was under control, I never did find out how the fire was started. Neither did any of the sidekicks according to Diamante and Velocio after we were allowed to go back into the building.

We ended up just doing patrols until it came time for the agency to close down. Iceberg had decided to leave earlier than the past few times. We didn't go the route we had last time, this time making our way to a school.

 _Is this where Choryu goes?_ I asked myself, remembering Iceberg had said she was in middle school.

With a click, the doors to the car were unlocked. Iceberg spoke up, his voice sounding exhausted.

"You mind walking up to the gates to pick her up? Today was a bit... Well, you can probably tell." He said to me, sounding exhausted.

"Sure," I answered. No way was I going to press for answers. Being the owner of the agency, the fire situation must've been stressful.

I took off my seatbelt, opened the car door, and made my way to the front gates. It didn't take long for the bell to ring and students to start leaving the building. All of them wearing the same tan-colored uniform Choryu had left in this morning.

It didn't help that just about everyone gave me a look. I was used to it though. Most people in Japan probably went most of their lives never seeing someone with skin as dark as mine except for on TV maybe.

It wasn't long before I saw the familiar bun bobbing through the crowd, and the blue-silver fish scales on her face walking over to me. She gave me an odd look as if she cautious. As she stopped by me I could hear some muttering from a group of students going by. Nothing like a sentence, but a few snippets of "Friend?", "Boyfriend?", "Escort?"

All of which made her face redden a small bit.

"Let's just go." She said, before walking down the road in the direction of her father's car.

I followed behind her, keeping her in range so I could sense her footsteps. It was then I got a weird feeling someone was following us, but just enough there were out of range to sense them. As if someone knew how far to stand back.

"Hey Mason, come on!" I heard Iceberg yell, making me snap back to reality. I hurried over and got into the back seat, letting Choryu have Shotgun.

After leaving the school and getting onto the main streets did that feeling go away.

* * *

"Come on, show me!"

"Hell no! Just because you guys have a yard filled with dirt, doesn't mean I can just use my Quirk when I feel like it. License or not." I retorted.

Choryu pouted. "What's the point of having something so cool if you cant use it?" She rolled onto her back as I wrote in my journal about yesterday, the fight between me and Iceberg fresh in my mind.

The back porch had become my area to record in my journal or message Ashido so no one else saw. But today, it seemed Choryu particularly wanted to get to know me, asking me to show off my Quirk.

My mom prided my on having an almost infinite patience, but today was certainly proving that it wasn't. The fish girl had changed into some shorts and a Present Mic t-shirt, keeping her gaze on me in a one-sided staring contest. Part of me wanted to make a sudden movement to make her jump, but I was hoping not paying attention to her would eventually make her stop and leave me in peace.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Notes."

"Notes about what?" She asked, rolling onto her stomach and propping herself on her elbows.

"Fighting. A strong Quirk is nothing if you don't consider it's weaknesses." I replied.

"Hmmm." She pondered. "I don't think my dad has any weaknesses."

"Yeah, his Quirk is definitely up there when it comes to-"

"Not physical, but emotional." I snapped my head to her, surprised by what she said. "He works hard, sometimes too hard. Worries a lot about his sidekicks too. Every time he comes home after work he looks like he's about to collapse on the spot." She turned to me. "Is being a Hero hard? I want to be one, but... Is it worth it?"

Closing my book, I looked her straight in the eyes. "Depends."

"That's not an answer." She pointed out, blatantly disappointed in my answer.

"Yeah," I laughed nervously. "I'm not off the hook am I?" She shook her head. "Didn't think so," I said as I looked up at the cloudy sky. "As I said, it depends. Why do you want to be a Hero?"

"Just to be one I guess. So many people do it, so it has to be cool, right? Why are you doing it?"

I felt my body tense for a moment. Of all questions, why that one?! "I want to save people," I answered. "Why else are we given Quirks if we can't somehow use them to do something in this world?"

"You're lying like a rug." I fell onto my back in defeat. "Sorry, but no way is that why you want to be a hero. Don't think I'm dumb. Our parents are best friends. I know about... _That._ " She said glumly.

I sat up and looked at the ground, a little surprised, but not much. "Fine. I want to be one because people suck." I said, hearing the anger seep into my voice and reigning myself back in. "All they ever see these days is either status or money. You're good or bad, no in between One of your parent the ladder, even worse." I looked at her, her eyes looking concerned. "Five years, I couldn't get a chance to not have someone not make a comment about my dad. The truth is I want to be a Hero and show them that I _am_ my own person and that just because you're bad, doesn't mean someone will always be bad. I want to be the one to laugh in their faces when I make it, and they don't. It isn't the least bit noble, it's actually one the more selfish reasons to be a hero, huh?"

She sat up and leaned against the wooden railing, pulling her knees to her face. "You were bullied?"

"Yup. Wasn't just words though. Sometimes I got into fights. All of them were self-defense though. I couldn't bring myself to start one. It wasn't worth hitting them if they were all bark and no bite."

"Wish it was that easy."

"What?"

She sighed as if telling me was annoying. "I get into trouble at school. Mostly cause girls think I'm always trying to hit on guys. But I'm not! I'm not-" She stopped as her face began to redden, bringing her knees up to cover her face. "I'm not like that... They just like talking to me." She explained. "I like sports, video games, all that stuff guys do. Most girls just talk about either make-up or 'the handsome Kamui Woods'." She said mockingly, making air quotes with her fingers.

"Bit of a tomboy?" I asked jokingly.

"Sure am." She said with a small smile. "What's a little dirt?"

" _This_ is a little dirt," I said, seeing it was perfect for a joke as I spun my hand around, the dirt flying into my palm to make a small sandstorm in my hand. Her eyes lit up as she saw it spin around.

"Wow, that's cool!" She said, leaning in to look at it. "I'd show what I can do, but dad wouldn't be happy..."

"Why's that?" I asked.

She leaned back. "He thinks my Quirk has a while before I can fully control it. That's why I only use it when he lets me. But," She held out her arm, the scales becoming an azure as they covered her arm like armor, her nails becoming black and sharp. "I'll let you see this much for now since you showed me yours, dad isn't here right now, so..." She said before quickly changing it back.

Just from the moment, I was given to look I could tell it was a transformation-type Quirk. No doubt it had to be made for combat from how monstrous it looked. Those claws might have been small, but definitely sharp as hell.

My jaw dropped. "That's deadly."

"Thanks." She said, smiling happily, the scales now disappearing from her arms. "Not cool like yours though. That's a party trick compared to what I saw while recording the Sport's Festival for my dad. _You're_ the real deadly one. That poor red-haired guy didn't deserve that."

"Hey, he did deserve it. He called my friend-"

"Girlfriend."

"My girlfriend-" I caught myself and gave her a glare.

She laughed. "Sorry, but no way does a girl let a guy text her, or talk to her that long on the phone unless they're _really_ good friends. What did he call her anyway?"

"Can't say. That language isn't for children's ears." I said, raising my head away from her.

"I'm only a year younger than you!" She shouted. "I've heard, and been called worse if anything!"

"If so then show me the punks and I'll beat them up! What kinda person uses that language against a woman!?" I shouted back at her, just as angry.

"What's going on out there!?" I heard Iceberg shout. "I swear if you're hitting on my daughter Jishin is going to have some bad news delivered, and need to be arrested again!"

"Nothing dad!" Choryu said. "Just having some fun! He's the best intern yet!"

The tall man then appeared giving me a look of murder, an almost demonic aura coming off of him. "I know the Ishi's well. Don't think you can seduce my daughter with those cursed abs."

"Dad!" She shouted embarrassed, while I made my way away from the porch onto the dirt.

"No! I already have someone I'm interested in, in no way am I- AHHH!" His glare became even more murderous.

"Good. Let's keep it that way. Now," His mood changed to a more happier one. "What's for dinner? I feel soba is a good choice for tonight!" He suggested happily.

 _Another one avoided Mason..._ I thought to myself, as Choryu was a flustered mess and I thanked my lucky stars I hadn't been frozen into a popsicle. Iceberg headed back inside, while Choryu waited for me to reach the stairs before heading back inside to start cooking up some soba.

* * *

It wasn't until later at night as I got ready to head off to bed that my phone started ringing. I sat down on the couch, grabbing my phone out of my bag and looking to see who it was.

Right as I saw whose name was on the screen, I instantly hit the answer button. "Well good evening Ashido," I said trying to be jokingly formal.

"Hey, Mason!" She said in her usual cheerfulness. "How'd today go for you?"

"Nothing much. Just a fire, but nobody got hurt." I said as I opened up my journal and began jotting down more notes.

"What!? Are you okay?!" She asked, sounding frantic.

"I just said nobody got hurt! Thank you for worrying though."

"Sorry." She apologized. "I heard fire and my mind kinda went downhill from there..."

"So, what did you do today at your internship?" I asked curiously.

"It's only really been patrols and physical training. Why are you getting to do all the exciting stuff!?"

"I don't think having to fight a Pro is something you'd want to switch with me for." I pointed out.

"Never mind, I'm okay with patrols." She said surrendering. "Anyways, other than the internship, how have you been?"

"Fine just about. What about you?" I asked as I set down my pencil and let my hand stop from cramping up.

She let out a deep breath. "I'm having fun, but it's kinda lonely too. I guess it's just the fact I'm used to seeing you guys every day, having people in class to talk to... you know."

"I know the feeling," I said. "Just three more days, and we'll all be back at school again, remember that!" I said trying to comfort her.

"By the way Mason, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot. You can ask me anything."

"As a person, what do you think of me?" She asked.

It felt like my heart was about to jump out of my throat when she asked that. Why was I sweating bullets like it was my Quirk?! It was only an honest question, and I did say "ask me anything", so why was I freaking out?!

"Well, you're a kind person first off. The only people you don't get along with are Kaminari and Mineta, for rightful reasons though."

"I'm still mad at them for that cheerleader thing..." She said grumpily.

"Yeah, I feel that's gonna be a thing for the next three years..." I said, not at all looking forward to the possibility. "Back on track though, you're a kind, strong person. I'm happy I've been able to get to know you for the past few months. I'm not that social, but you being able to take time out of your day and show me what it's like says a lot about you. It's something I admire you for with how nice of a person you can be." There was a loud squeak on the other end. "What was that?" I asked confused.

"Oh, uh, sorry!" She said quickly. "The Hero I interned with has a pet bird, and it lies to squeak sometimes! It's so adorable! I gotta go now though, early training in the morning."

"Oh, good night then Ashido," I said.

"Wait, one more thing Mason!"

"Yeah?" I asked, almost having hit the "call end" button.

"I think you're a great person too. You really are. Good night for real now!" She ended on a cheery tone before ending the call.

My face beat red afterward, all I could do was try to comprehend what just happened. It definitely wasn't how our usual conversations went, with simply talking or making jokes. This time it was a lot more... Was "personal" the word?

I took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. That's what uncle Shota always told me. Everything had a rational reason for things happening, and should never be treated as irrational. What would make Ashido ask a question like that? Usually, she was more cheery, but at that moment she was blunt and straight to the point.

One thought kept popping into my mind, over and over again. I wasn't going to make it out to be her reason though. Sure, I admitted to myself, I had a crush on her.

It was for that reason that I could barely handle my emotions when talking to her sometimes. Being able to talk to her was one of the greatest things that could happen in my day. I couldn't draw conclusions without concrete evidence. That would be simply irrational.

With that question in my head, and the minutes going by as I let myself drift off to sleep, the thought persisted. Persisting on until I came to the red-faced conclusion, that Ashido might have similar feelings as I did for her.

And with that, for the next hour, I wasn't able to fall asleep as the realization brought joy to me, for some reason. Not that it felt strange or I didn't like it, but that maybe, life would be able to work in my favor for once.

* * *

Nothing happened throughout the next day. The training exercise was just some simple hand-to-hand combat training for close quarters, along with how to infiltrate a hostage situation by using a building's structure to your advantage.

It was later on Iceberg called me up to his office, as he always did it seemed. I'd go do a patrol with some sidekicks or some training, and then go up the elevator to meet and talk.

Surprisingly Megane was up here, along with Diamante and Velocio. The only difference being Diamante had her helmet off, along with Velocio. The man had a more chiseled look, appearing more like a bouncer with a skinny body. Diamante had flowing brown hair, tied in a ponytail while she held her Spartan helmet at her side.

Both of them looked surprised to see me coming out of the elevator. Megane waved with two of his fingers with a simple "Yo."

"Wait, the intern is gonna help with this?" Velocio stated shocked. "I haven't seen him in action but are you-"

Iceberg gave him a look that instantly made him shut up. "Are you questioning my choice for this operation?" He asked, raising on if his eyebrows.

"He's a kid." He said blatantly. "No offense." He looked at me and said, clearly angry.

"None took," I said, showing I wasn't offended.

"Point is if Megane is right and what's going to go down is really as big as it is, why not let other agencies know at least! Why not call the police either! The steps you're saying for us to take are-"

"Hayai!" Iceberg shouted. "It is because _I_ have seen him in action, that _I_ believe he's up for this task. As for the police and other agencies, who says they'll take us seriously? The damn chief of police for Hosu wouldn't buy it even it cost five-hundred yen. Hence all we can do is take steps for when it does happen, other agencies will have an easier time jumping in for help. Now," He looked to me and gestured to the couches. "Let's all have a seat to fill in Mr. Ishi."

Doing just as he said we all sat on the couches, Iceberg with hands together and fingers touching. Diamante and Velocio, who seemed put off by all of this, sat down on either side of him as Megane stood and switched the TV to what was a map of a city.

"Okay, for some quick commentary- My Quirk allows me to predict unfortunate events." He explained. "Ever since it first appeared, at ten-thirty AM, the same time I was born, my Quirk would let me know of any unfortunate events to happen to places I have been to." He then looked down and let out a sigh. "Today, my Quirk notified me that Hosu City will have such an event today."

"So what's going to happen?" I asked.

"Unknown," Velocio said, scratching his hair. "Mr. Megane's Quirk, Oracle, only gives him the place, severity, and a rough window of time in the said day."

"Hosu City, from late evening into early night time," Iceberg stated. "The same place where the Hero Killer-"

"Stain attacked Ingenium," I said. "A friend of mine is his younger brother. I... I didn't find out until last night when I was browsing the news."

I felt like an idiot at that moment. Iida had to be going through hell with what I had read up about. The attack had left Ingenium paralyzed, leaving all functions to his legs practically useless.

Stain the "Hero Killer". At first, I thought he actually killed heroes, but after seeing that and not knowing who he was I had begun browsing. If they weren't killed, he left in a condition that would never let them continue their career.

"Yes. According to what I've seen, the chief there thinks just because of the Hero Killer that no one is going to try to cause major damages or a ruckus with how high alert everything is." His left fist tightened. "He's wrong though. I doubt Stain would try to do something like Megane's Quirk detected, he's more of a stealth type. A hitman against heroes if you will."

"Our plan," Diamante spoke up. "Is to head to Hosu, and hopefully let some agencies know as a bit of a tip-off. No suits, we go in incognito and work from there. The severity is supposed to be extremely high. People are going to be injured, and damage to the city itself. So we plan on doing what we can to prevent it, or control damage if we can."

"And I picked you three for this operation. Along with me as well." Iceberg stated. "Mason." He said looking at me as he stood up. "Most interns don't get put through this sort of situation. But it's because of you being an intern at this time, and having the strength you do, that I'm asking you to help. I'm not going to force you. You're a just a kid after all. And my best friend's son. He'd kill me if you got hurt"

Without even thinking, I got up and walked up to him. "Sorry, but last I check I wasn't here to chicken out on stuff outside of my league. I'm here to be a Hero, and Heroes don't just pick what they respond to. They save people regardless." I stated. "I'm in."

Megane let out a shout of excitement. "I love this kid! Best. Intern. EVER!"

"You heard him punks," Iceberg said, heading over to the bar to grab a sweatshirt. "Let's do what we can, as we're supposed to do."

As I headed to change into my civilian clothes, I felt a rush. Technically speaking, this was going to be my first REAL job as a Hero. Yet looking back on the excitement I felt, little did I know that night was going to be one of the few for me to remember going forward in my life.

* * *

 **A/N: The stage is set. Time for the curtains to open on the setting that will be Hosu City, one of the most pinnacle areas in the series for the not just one of the greatest fights in BNHA, but also where the second-most devastation was done in the series. At least when it came to cities that is. Also, have some characterization for Choryu! Can't wait to feature her later in the series.**

 **pokemongking0924: I'd definitely like for people o keep that fire in mind. After all, fires don't happen in secured office buildings without reason**

 **Now for the sneak peeks. Not a lot of reviews this week, so expect a very long chapter next week!**

 **"Boss says that if it gets out of control, we can act and help in whatever way we can."**

 **"We're about six blocks from there. I can get there in no time."**

 **"It's okay now,"**

 **"Shouldn't we wait here like you said though?"**

 **On another note- Oh my god am I ready for BNHA Season 3. 25 episodes? MY BODY IS READY!**


	35. Chapter 35

We decided to take the train system in order to get to Hosu. Not only was it more convenient, but it allowed us time to organize with how we were going to handle this situation. After all, we weren't going to have much back up.

We were all in more or less "regular" clothing. Velocio was in a business suit, Iceberg in a button up shirt and shorts, and Diamante in a short-sleeve and skirt that went down to her knees. Out of everyone, I seemed the most "normal" if I had to say anything about how we were dressed.

I was dressed like any normal teenager. Except for the fact, my shirt was more woven. It had a design similar to some yarn blankets, a shirt my grandma from overseas had made.

My mom was one of three siblings, a middle child with an older sister and younger twin. It was usually the holidays they'd try to make their way over to Japan in order to visit us, and of course, they'd bring gifts.

One such gift was the shirt I was wearing. It had diamonds of reds, blues, and yellows all over it, a way of "having home with you away from home" as my grandma always said. That feeling definitely stuck with me as Iceberg went over the plans one more time before we'd have to split up.

"Now, I and Hayai are going to try and tip off other agencies around here. Diamante and Mason, will go around the city doing the same and try their best to keep an eye out for any key areas or places where people gather in crowds. After whoever makes their move makes it, we go in and try to detain them, and or help keep damages as minimum as possible. Everything clear?" He asked, putting on his shades before we all gave a silent nod. "Good."

* * *

Ten minutes later, we arrived in Hosu.

We immediately split up to do our tasks soon as we got off the train. It felt good to breathe some fresh air once we were away from the station and back into a more familiar setting.

Cars going by and people talking. It felt great to have the normal ambiance back instead of being cooped in a giant building for most of this week. Despite how nice it felt, this was a still a mission. I couldn't be laid back like it was me and Ashido walking around town.

First up on our agenda was going to different agencies and tip them off. Nothing specific was to be said. Just enough that they would get people doing patrols.

To be honest, though, I didn't think it was a good plan. Sure, we were dressed as civilians, expressing our concerns. But that fact we were lying to them, if not a small bit, didn't feel right to me. Even if I knew that it was best for the city.

After doing that we decided to camp out at a park and eat some food. Nothing major, just a bottle of water and a protein bar. Despite what was about to happen, it was surreal to see the people in the park so calm about everything.

None of them had a clue about what was about to possibly happen to them.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine," Diamante said, her voice sounding comforting. "Boss says that if it gets out of control, we can act and help in whatever way we can. Just stick with me, since you don't have your provisional license yet." She took a sip from her water. "Right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, still haven't done the exam yet. All Might thinks we should be ready by late summer, maybe fall. Kinda been hard to have classes when you have villain attacks." I said jokingly.

"Was it scary going through that? We didn't hear about the Villains attacking UA until a day after. I'd never seen the Boss so scared before."

I thought back to the event. Even though it felt like yesterday, it had happened over a month ago. It had been the first time some of us had _real_ combat experience. Some of us had to fight for our lives that day.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been scared. Sure at first it's like 'cool, I get to be a Hero!'. But... It's kinda more than that. We're on the same level as police and firefighters in that we're putting our lives on the line every day."

"That's right." She said, getting her hair into a ponytail. "It's just more than wearing a costume and using your powers. People do it to help people. Or, well, I just wish that was a majority of the case. There's still plenty of people who do it for money and fame. People like that are who Stain goes after."

"But from what I read, Ingenium was nothing like that. He was as much a hero as All Might, doing it because he felt the need to. We're even in the same town where it happened." I pointed out to her.

She looked at the sky. "Then I don't know why. All I do know is whatever is supposed to happen, Stain is going to be part of it. Usually, he attacks three or four heroes before moving on to another city. Even if big flashy events aren't his thing, I just feel he's going have to do with tonight."

"Sort of like an instinct?" I suggested.

"Yeah," She said before smiling at me, the breeze blowing her blonde hair back. "Something like that." She stood up and grabbed the bottle of water she had been drinking from. "Let's go. We still have some time to get heroes on the streets before evening. Who knows, we might come across Hayai and Mr. Iceberg."

Standing up I stretched out my body, letting out a yawn. "I'm kinda nervous about this whole thing. If Megane is right... How bad is it going to be?" I asked concerned.

She took her hand and slapped it against my back. "Don't worry kiddo! Don't think about how bad it's going to be. that never helps when you get nervous. If there's one thing Iceberg has taught me that's stayed in my thick head, it's to think about the good we can put into the bad. Even if it's just a little, we should do what we can to ease the burden of disastrous events. Instead of focusing on how bad it _will_ be, make so it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be."

"Thanks for the advice, Diamante," I said with a slight nod.

"Don't worry kid. Just do what you're here to do, be a Hero. Now let's go finish up our part of the plan. Be ready for anything, too. Megane can't give specifics, so if things get violent, I hope you can fight."

"Course I can!" I said with a smile, making her chuckle as we exited the park and put our trash in a nearby trash can, the sun shining behind a tower.

* * *

We ended up meeting Iceberg and Velocio as they exited a convenience store. Street lights had begun to turn on, the sun nowhere to be seen. It was as if the clouds knew of the darkness to come, leaving the moon untouched and shining down on the city of Hosu.

All of us stood in an alleyway, waiting. My stomach was filled with that feeling. You know, the one when you're about to talk in front of a big audience during a play or have a presentation for a project.

It wasn't anxiety, I never knew if it was. To me, it was more of an anticipation. I was waiting for the moment things would start to go down. Hell, part of me wanted Megane to be wrong.

As each second ticked by it seemed like the town itself was fearing what was about to happen.

A tick was then made.

I almost gave myself whiplash turning to the noise. It was Iceberg pulling out a walk-man radio, something I'd seen in a manga once. Apparently, they were almost a relic nowadays with phones being able to access radio stations and play music whenever people wanted to listen to a certain song.

Iceberg put his fingers to his lips. Velocio took out a map and gave him a thumbs up.

Instantly I heard all too familiar sounds.

"This is 24589 reporting. We have a Pro in current struggle with an unidentified individual. Both have just collided into a train that was heading in for the station. Civilians are currently panicking report- Update!" The officer's voice changed in tone, now more rushed. "The unidentified individual was just knocked out of the train! A different Pro is currently engaging, requesting immediate backup two blocks from the Park intersection. I repeat, requesting immediate backup two blocks from the Park intersection."

"Hay-"

"Got it," Velocio said, pointing with his index finger. "We're about six blocks away. I can get there in no time."

"Good. Hopefully, we can-"

"This is 24567, reporting an additional disturbance at the corner of Miagi's Convenience and Ryunia Pharmacy. Requesting immediate back as soon as possible! I'm proceeding to evacuate civilians right- Oh my god!"

It was then that shivers were sent down my back. It was like a dying crow, letting out its final cry before dying. It was the last sound heard along with gunshots before multiple responses were made by other officers.

All I could think of was the only one other thing that had made the same sound. It was haunting, almost as if someone had copied and pasted it perfectly. Diamante put her hand on my shoulder.

"Mason, are you okay? You look terrified."

"I am," I said, my voice shaking. I coughed to clear my throat. "At the USJ incident, the League of Villains had a certain _thing_ with them. It had multiple Quirks and that sound." I shook my head. " _That sound_... It's the same damn sound it made one time after All Might landed a hit on it. If these are the same things, we're in for a lot of trouble. We won't just need to worry about evacuating citizens. If they're anything like at the USJ, they'll have multiple Quirks at their disposal and nothing but a sense to follow orders."

"I see," Iceberg said. "Mason, I don't want you and Diamante going nowhere near these things. Do not engage, and simply get people to safety. Me and Velocio's Quirks are more damaging and allow us not as many repercussions if we get hurt. Same can be said for Diamante, but you need a licensed individual if you're going to be of any help. We have our assignments, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir." Diamante and Velocio said in unison.

"Yes," I said, trying to stay calm.

We split up and headed out. It didn't take much to find where the damage was being done. The people running from the opposite direction and smoke rising into the air were enough clues as we ran towards it.

Throwing my hand in front of me I had the concrete mold around my arm into a gauntlet. Diamante activated her Quirk, her skin turning into diamond as we both picked up speed once we saw the fires become far more noticeable and larger.

The scene before was straight up chaos incarnate. People were running past us in fear, women and men both shouting. Pros were either trying to minimize the damage via water-related Quirks or rushing people out of the area. Yet there was definitely a focus of where the most carnage was coming from.

A piercing, almost strained growl came from my left. I turned to see what I almost made to be an exact copy of the Nomu person that had been with the League of Villains.

Muscled blue-black skin seemed to be like a mass of charcoal as it threw a fist at a Pro in a green body suit, bits of its brain clearly showing from the top of its head. The only difference was the lack of claws and talons and the beak the other one had. Otherwise, this thing could pass as a clone from a distance.

A blast of water hit its back, making it stumble forward from the force. Another Pro had arrived, wearing a white and blue suit with a helmet sporting a fish fin on top. He moved his arms, water from a nearby hydrant flowing around him.

"Is that the thing you were talking about!?" Diamante shouted, her voice sounding layered. Possibly a side-effect of her Quirk. It had a resounding pitch to it instead of her usual forwardness.

"Might as well be his younger brother. If it's anything like the other one, it'll have multiple Quirks." I answered. "We should get people to safety, then help them out!" I shouted, stomping my right foot forward and pushing both of my hands to the side, causing the dirt and concrete to flow and put out a fire coming out of the building next to us, having it rotate to equally starve any embers of oxygen.

"Iceberg told us not to-"

"What's the purpose of being a Hero if we only help citizens?!" I shouted, doing the same motion to another fire. From where I stood, I was able to put out a good few fires in the way of people running. "These Pros need our help just as much as these citizens!" With my left hand, I took the concrete-sand from the first fire, using it to put out a few others.

People ran by me and Diamante. I simply nodded as some looked at me, concerned. They were nothing but a second thought as I processed where to go as I put out fires from my position as the Nomu clone fought with some Pros, a few seeming to be sidekicks by how they were wearing the same costume.

Diamante waved her arms for people to go in her direction, away from the current fire and fight going on. I ran by her and chopped down with my hand, a wave of sand hitting a neon sign to the side as it almost fell on top of a group of citizens running under it.

"Th-thank you, Hero!" A woman shouted.

"Don't welcome me! Get to safety over there by the diamond girl! The situation is bad, and we need to get as many to safety as possible!"

She nodded with understanding, running in the direction I pointed as someone was thrown into the window next to me.

"Why I oughta!" The man shouted.

He was fairly muscled. With short brown hair and two bull-like horns on his head, he got up and rushed the Nomu, grappling it. It was then I noticed more Pros and sidekicks had joined the scene, each doing their best to keep him away from us and the citizens running away from the carnage.

It was then someone screamed. My heart dropped at how familiar the voice was. So much so I hoped it wasn't who I thought it was. My eyes anxiously darted, looking for where the sound came from.

A flailing of arms tipped me off as I looked to see a man grabbing a woman- No, a young girl possibly _my_ age by the waist over the shoulder, running as she screamed. At this distance, it was easy to make out the face of the girl.

Every instinct inside me went into high gear as I noticed who it was. Shutting out the sound of Diamante shouting at me as to what I was doing, I ran after the two at full speed, fueled by the pure rage of why some man was running away with Choryu slung over his shoulder.

 _HELL NO!_ I shouted inside my head, feeling that same anger I did at Chikara during the Sport's Festival.

My feet were burning as I put all of my strength in each step, sending myself forward an extra few inches. The man gave a glance behind him, instantly increasing his pace as he saw me running at him.

I threw my right hand out, shooting a piece off of my concrete gauntlet, turning the rock projectile into sand. He dropped Choryu as he fell to the ground, gripping his left shoulder in pain, attempting to throw a fireball at me.

With a jump I took both hands, slamming them into the ground as it sailed by me. The concrete underneath him wrapped around him like a cocoon, leaving only his head and feet free. Choryu got on her knees, breathing loudly. I hurried over, helping her up.

Immediately she wrapped her arms around me, crying on my shoulder as her body shook from sobbing.

"I was-so-scared!" She cried out in between sobbing.

"It's okay now," I said, trying to comfort her. "It's okay. Just let it out." I held her against me, letting her cry it out while the guy I had locked down struggled, trying to break free. Didn't he know it was concrete?

"Me and some friends-" She attempted to say, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "We were supposed to go shopping for some materials for a class project. We got separated because of the attack-" She looked over to the man currently trapped. "Then _he_ \- _HE_ -" She took another deep breath, trying to compose herself. again "He took a pipe and hit Kaji over the head, grabbed me, and started running. Then I saw you and-" She buried her head into my left shoulder, another round of crying starting up. "I'm so glad you saved me...!" She yelled, her arms beginning to turn into blue scales, her grip pinching me with her claws. Noticing it she began to loosen her arms, looking even more scared. "I'm so sorry, I-"

I tightened my part of the hug, enduring the pain. "It's okay. The way you're acting right now is normal for what just happened to you. I'd be more concerned if you _weren't_ letting the second great flood out of your eyes right now!" I said with a chuckle.

She let out a small laugh. "Not funny." She said, attempting to wipe the tears from her eyes, her arms returning to their normal pale-shade. "So I take it my dad is here too?" She asked, looking at me for some sort of verification. Her black hair was a mess, not in its usual ponytail she always put it in.

I let go of her, realizing I had been holding onto her for a long time now. I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Me and one of his sidekicks were trying to evacuate people from the fighting going on and put out fires. He's currently assisting another Pro who had got into a fight with another one of those things."

Her eyes sparked with realization and a bit of fear. "There's more of those... What even are they!?"

"At the USJ incident, the 'League of Villains' had a similar guy called "Nomu". Apparently, the things can have more than one Quirk. All Might fought one with super-regeneration, super-strength, and shock absorption. Not sure what these two have, but still, they're going to be anything but a pushover." I walked over to the man I had captured. "Now, what to do with you," I said dryly, feeling like kicking the guy right in the jaw for the shit he just pulled.

"Go ahead! Try something you little shit! You're going to jail with me for using your Quirk, so the jokes on you!"

"Are you sure about that?" I asked, having a small concrete spike rise under his chin. "Hope you _do_ know I'm currently interning. So looks like you're going to be alone in a cell for kidnapping, and not to mention assault and battery."

He smirked, eyeing the spike under his chin. "What, trying to act tough in front of your girl?" He made smooching noises. "Your Quirk might be threatening, but I bet it just compensates for your-"

I stood up, bringing my foot back and quickly kicking him square in the face with a solid _THWACK!_ Choryu let out a shout of surprise. "Mason!? I know he deserved it but still, but that's a little-"

I leaned down to the now unconscious man. "What was that bud? Couldn't hear you with the FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH." I yelled, expressing my anger and then standing up straight. "Sorry, but he kinda deserved it. I feel bad though, not gonna lie. You okay though? No bruises or scratches?"

I'm lying, I didn't at all. The guy deserved all of the thirteen inches of my boot.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine." She nodded. "What do we do now?"

I shrugged. "Wait here until the police and Pros arrive? I mean technically speaking, I did just arrest this guy."

"And you kicked him." She pointed out, clearly disappointed. "Is it really-"

"Don't," I said, holding one finger up. "First, he hit your friend over the head with a pipe. Second, he attempted to kidnap you and do who knows what! And third," I put my finger down. "You know he fully deserved it. If he didn't have a problem doing _this,_ no doubt he hasn't had a problem doing other things. Not to mention it's poor taste to say things like that in front of a woman. Still, why in the hell would he grab you?"

"HEY!" She shouted. "I know I'm not into what girls usually are, or the best sight-"

"No not like that!" I shouted back. "You're pretty cute. Just gonna be honest, you are Choryu. It's just why would someone pull this crap in Hosu, with how everything's been? Either this guy was stupid, or feeling really lucky he could get away with it."

Choryu then fell to her knees, her face beet-red. She pulled up her shirt collar, attempting to hide her face. "Please don't call me cute again... It's too much of a compliment..."

"What, you don't get those often?" I asked, curious.

She shook her head. "I'm not cute. Maybe right now, but..."

"Your Quirk I take it?"

She nodded. "Leviathan'. It was my mom's. I turn into a dragon-person, thing. It's hard to describe. Nobody would find something like that cute. Most guys get along with me because it makes me stronger, athletic, and a really good swimmer." She lowered her short collar and sat down, her face in a depressing frown. "Even with guys they just want me around because I'm strong, and girls hate me because guys always want me around. Nobody wants me because I'm _me._ It's either filling in for clubs or being on someone's team so they get a good gym grade."

Those words hit hard within me. I could relate way too much to how she felt. For me it was nobody wanted to have anything to do with me because of my dad. For her, people only wanted to be near her because she just happened to luck out on her Quirk's abilities. Probably even a mix of her being a Pro's daughter.

"Well screw them then!" I said, sitting down next to her. "If people won't see you for being you, make them see!" I put my hand on her shoulder. "You know why I want to be a hero? Because everybody thought I'd be a villain. Guess what? I think I got a different reason now." I said to her. "From now on, I'm going to be a hero for people like _us_. People who want to be seen for who they are. Not because they have a strong or weak Quirk, not because they happen to be related to a villain or Quirkless, or have that magic ticket given to them cause their parents have it good. I'm going to be a hero to show that it doesn't matter what people think or say about you, but what you think and say about yourself!" I shouted, standing up with a smile on my face, offering my hand to help her up. "What do you think about that, Choryu?"

Her mouth was open in shock. From her wide eyes and speechless expression, I could tell I'd done something extremely surprising. Her eyes then lit up as she took my hand and had me help her stand up.

"You better watch out then. Because I think I just found a reason that makes being a hero worth it." She said with a smile. "I might just get to that goal before you do!"

"You can try shorty!" I said jabbing at her.

"We're the same height, how am I short!?" She fumed.

A low groan was heard, and an explosion from over by where the fight had to still be going on.

"SHIT! I left Diamante alone, and there's still the Nomu!" I shouted, remembering what I had been doing originally.

"Shouldn't we wait here like you said though?" Choryu asked, attempting put her hair in a ponytail.

"Doesn't matter! Let's go, you wanna be better than me? Then help me!" I said as I grabbed her hand, pulling her along with me as I ran back towards the carnage once again.

* * *

 **A/N: Dawww, in the end, it seems Mason was able to find a good reason for being a Hero finally. Less of a selfish purpose, and now more selfless. Still mad at life, but a bit less so. Also some set up for Choryu, showing a sort of parallel and how Quirks can influence one's life. Ever since I saw Shinso, it kinda influenced me to have at least an OC or two where their Quirk kinda affects their life. As for the Stain fight, I didn't have Mason in it because I felt it'd be too intrusive. That was one of Iida's spotlights and 3s a crowd. Don't need four U.A. kids beating up ole' Hero-Killer, don't think his self-esteem would be able to handle it... To the reviews now!**

 **D3lph0xLOv3r: Thanks for the compliments bud.**

 **pokemonking0924: Bruh, love is very melodramatic. They might be the main pairing, but not gonna put em together yet. Soon, but not too soon they will be. Tis the toil of progressive romances am I right?**

 **one step behind: Naw, didn't go with the Stain fight, as stated reasons above. I'm okay with Mason being in _some_ events, but not too many. I like to think of this fic as "story of a side character". And trust me, Ashido and Mason WILL ABSOLUTELY get their own arc. Now for your two questions. One, an idea for the Final Exam is currently in the works, and I have a rough idea of Mason's room. Still a bit far to make anything concrete. Don't worry though, I'm sure many will look forward to who Mason will fight in the Final Exams.**

 **SuperedX: Don't worry about it, man. I don't expect people JUST to read my story. Some need to widen their variety and see what ideas people can come up with.**

 **Now for our preview of the next chapter!**

 **"I was trying to save lives!"**

 **"I remember you talking about that, Dad. Why did you drop out?"**

 **"Sorry about that All Might. Concrete is well, concrete."**

 **Time for some old faces to show up, along with some surprises!**


	36. Chapter 36

The only good thing to come out of that night was not having to go to the agency the next day. Due to the events and Iceberg, and a fair number of his sidekicks having to pull overtime with putting out the remaining fires, today was set as a day off for everyone. A very needed one as well with how hard everyone worked.

A lot more had just happened than the attack as well.

There had been three of those "Nomus" in the city. Due to the likeness of them, and how they resembled the one recovered at the USJ (Which I didn't even know they had captured. I thought he had been sent into orbit from how strong All Might punched him), the authorities had decided to take it into custody just like the other. Well, two of them. One had been killed by the Hero Killer before Endeavor arrived.

During these events, the Hero Killer had indeed struck again but was stopped by Endeavor. He had been trying to possibly kill a Hero named Native but was held off by three U.A. students until endeavor himself arrived and captured and arrested him.

The three U.A. students? None other than Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki. It was ironic how all four of us were in the city, and each had our own "battles" going on with the chaos of the attack.

I felt guilty about not being able to answer his message, well it was actually just his location sent to most likely all of us in class. I had left my phone at Iceberg's house earlier that day since Ashido had said she was going to be patrolling, and possibly not able to talk to me until later that night. Throw in what happened in Hosu, and things could have gone bad if Endeavor hadn't arrived there.

All of what happened last night was in today's newspaper, fresh off the press, along with coverage by the news as a very hot topic of discussion. Choryu had stayed home with me and Iceberg and was currently in the middle of getting chastised by her father for last night. Short to say it wasn't going well in the least. Especially with how it was early in the morning, and none of us were particularly morning people...

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to _Hosu!?_ " He shouted.

"I did! Even check your messages! You'd have known if you paid attention to your phone, instead of just going head-first into whatever job you're doing!" Choryu shouted back.

"I was trying to save lives!"

"Yeah, and your daughter's life could have ended up who knows where! If not for Mason I don't know what would have happened to me!"

"And I thank him for doing that. My point, however, is you can't just send me a _single_ text. Taking the time to tell me the day of, or even before I could have told you no, or even have messaged Mason and Diamante meet you to get you out of there once you saw everything going to absolute sh-"

"I wasn't focused on that." She said, glaring at him. "I was hoping you'd see it, know where I am because _you_ told me to let you know where I'll be after-school if I ever plan on going anywhere. All I did was what you asked me to do. If you had checked, instead of chasing some lead, we wouldn't be shouting at each other!"

Iceberg sighed and placed his head in his left hand. "What were you doing in Hosu? Just please tell me that and I'll drop it. Mason told me you and a friend went to get supplies for a project?"

"Yes... and no," Choryu said, looking away.

"I swear if that boy-"

"DAD!" She shouted, her forearms and hands transforming. "It isn't like that! I don't have a boyfriend or anyone who _wants_ to be my boyfriend! It's nothing like that!"

"Then what were you doing there?" He asked. I got up and got myself a bowl of cereal to eat, sitting down at the table and watching the conversation. What was I supposed to do? It wasn't my place to jump into a situation I had zero knowledge or input about.

She stayed silent before answering. "Kaji's dad works for a support company, and he knows my Quirk has a few... issues since it's a transformation type. So he had me try different costume designs to see which would be best for me..."

Iceberg looked stunned. "You're a-a-actually..." He trailed off, so shocked he didn't seem to know what to say.

"Much as you hate the idea dad, I want to be a Hero. Last night I saw what you do. What _Heroes_ do. How they help people, comfort them, taking their own time and risking their own lives to help people they don't even know." She glanced over at me for a second, and then back to Iceberg. "I want to be like that _._ "

"And you feel this is truly what you want to do?" He asked.

"Yes. I'm sure dad." She said with a smile. "Mason's only a year older than me, and he might as well be like Kamui Woods, Edgeshot, or any other Pro you hear about in the news. I want to save people like he does, and like you do."

Iceberg smiled, bringing her into a hug.

"Awww...! I mean, this is some damn good cereal!" I said, embarrassed I said that out loud. What?! It was heartwarming to see.

"Haha!" Iceberg laughed. "Just like your mother, huh kiddo?" He said to Choryu. "Both of you were stubborn right to the damn cell. I sure as hell know that I can't stop you. That'd just make me a bad parent to deny my kid's dreams. The bar is set high though, just gonna let you know. Being a Hero is tough, even Mason can tell you that."

I nodded, eating another spoonful of cereal. "It's tough. But I think she can handle it." I admitted. "She's gonna want to learn how to fight though. I didn't think I'd have to do much fighting, but last night and the attack at the USJ proved me wrong. Just keep on going with your sights set on the prize Choryu. Don't let anything discourage you either."

"I won't." She said. "Now, time to eat!"

"Yeah, and after this, more training. You mind coming along?" He said to Choryu.

She raised her eyebrows, a smile growing on her face. "Not at all. After all, I'm gonna need to know how to fight and use my Quirk in different ways, right?"

* * *

After the incident in Hosu, the week of my internship flew by like it was nothing. Before I knew it I was walking home, suitcase in hand, feeling a little bit wiser than I had been before when Aizawa dropped us off at the station.

Iceberg and some of the other sidekicks at the agency had given me their hopes on seeing me again. It made me feel sad though as I had gotten on the train, watching Megane go up the same stairs I had a week ago.

Those feelings changed though once I walked up to my house, not even getting a chance to put my hand on the doorknob as my dad swung it open.

"HE'S HOOOOME!" He shouted, letting me inside to get my shoes off.

My mom came hurrying from the kitchen, wearing an apron from just cooking dinner if I had to guess. She gave me a hug, squeezing a bit too tight. But I couldn't blame her, I was finally home after all.

"I'm so glad you're back sweety!" She said. "I missed you so much! Are you okay? No bruises? Any injuries? A concussion?"

I gave my dad a look of confusion.

"We saw the news of what happened in Hosu. Seems the camera felt the need to zoom up on ya real good while you were helping put out fires." He said.

"Yeah, Iceberg was there trying to help minimize damages and stuff," I said, trying to not mention the bit with Megane.

"Well, we're just glad you're safe." My mom said as she let me go. "We're not going to bombard you with questions right as you get in the door, I'm sure you're plenty hungry after your train ride. I made sure to make sweet and sour chicken for you, your favorite!"

"Thanks, mom," I said, following her and dad into the kitchen and sitting at the table with them.

The sweet yet spicy smell of the chicken brought a smile to my face. It had been one of my favorite dishes since I was a kid, having first eaten it at a Chinese restaurant. Especially biting into and tasting the sauce wrapped around the chicken making it all the more enjoyable.

"Enjoying it Mason?" My Dad asked.

"Yup," I admitted.

"So, what did Kuzan teach you?"

"A lot," I said, putting down my chopsticks. "I have to say, Dad, that I made the right decision going to him for the internship. He taught me a lot more than just fighting. I'm still trying to process all the stuff that it means to be a Hero."

"Your father almost became a Hero you know." My mom said, placing a wad of rice in her mouth. "He ended up dropping out of U.A. though."

"I remember you talking about that, Dad. Why did you drop out?" I asked.

He sighed before leaning back to stretch. "Well, you see... A lot of things happened. It wasn't that I was a bad student, or didn't feel I was cut out for being one, not at all. It's just come my second year a lot of things came up in my life around that time. Said things changed my outlook, and I felt the need to grow more as a person. I was surprised your principal even gave me a job as a teacher considering my track record."

"Principal Nedzu?"

"Yeah, that damn furball. Smarter than you could even imagine. The day before the Sport's Festival he and Blood King came to visit me. Apparently, he felt I'd be able to give some insight to you and your classmates on some subjects." He ate another spoonful and began talking after swallowing it. "Not entirely sure on how this will play out though. The only thing I've taught is martial arts, and how to use an ice cream machine at a gas station."

"Sounds like a cool gas station." I pointed out.

"Oh, it was! Pay was good too since it was only me and three other guys working there." He said with a chuckle. "Back to the point, so far no one else besides the staff, and possibly a few General Studies teachers know I'll be teaching the Hero Course classes."

"Just when I was getting used to having someone else in the house again..." My mom complained, sadly eating another wad of rice.

"Oh, don't worry Skylar. If anything I might have a day or two off a week depending on what that furball thinks of. He knows that I work better when relaxed and have time to think about things." He took another bite of the chicken, smiling with every time he chewed. "Honey, this is one of the best things I've had yet."

"Oh stop!" My mom said, waving her hand playfully to make him stop. "You're only saying that because you've been eating prison food for the past five years."

"Eh... You're not wrong."

Her flirting turned to fury as she gave him the usual "mom" stare she would give me. "Why I oughta!"

"It was a joke! A joke!" My dad said we both laughed, my mom eventually giving in. It felt good to have moments like this with my family again.

* * *

After a night of sleep, some hopping between trains, and a jog I ended up back at U.A. Just like coming back home, it was refreshing to see the school after being away for a whole week.

Climbing up the stairs didn't seem to be so hard on my legs, considering the training I got from Iceberg had been for all types of hostage situation held on different floors. Yet it didn't prepare me for the tackle I received coming in.

"Masoooon!" I heard an all too familiar voice say. "I missed you and Ashido so much!" Hana said, holding onto me for a few more seconds before letting go.

"Hana if you keep doing that we might think you two _are_ actually dating." I heard Tsuyu say, which made the black-haired girl get flustered.

"I haven't talked, or seen him in a week! Cut me a break!" She cried out.

"Glad to see you too," I said to Hana. "Question though is where's-"

"Here I am!" Ashido said, waving her hand up high, standing over Tsuyu's desk with Jiro. "Come on over here! I want to know what both your internships were like!"

"Not really anything great..." Hana said as we both walked over. "Just patrolling, and... more patrolling..." She said, hanging her head in disappointment.

"I spent my whole time training and basically cleaning the ship deck." Tsuyu said, putting her finger to her chin as she thought about it. "Oh! There was one time where we caught a bunch of drug smugglers."

I did a double take, me, Jiro, and Ashido saying "That's cool."

"What about you Ochaco? How was your week?" She asked the brown-haired girl.

Looking over I could see an almost threatening aura as if the devil had possessed her. "I'd say it was very enlightening." She said, beginning to throw a few punches at the air.

"Seems she found her fighting spirit." Tsuyu remarked.

"Yeah, that Fighting Hero must've been something else," Jiro added.

"How about you Mason? I know we kinda kept in touch all the time, but what did you do?" Ashido asked me.

"Just about everything under the sun. Hostage situation training, ways to breach a building, combat, patrolling. I also ended up doing some fire control in Hosu."

"Wait, you were there with the Hero Killer?!" Jiro said, looking terrified. "Then were you with Midoriya and them-"

"No, I didn't have my phone with me so I didn't get a message like I'm guessing some of you did," I admitted. "Kinda feel bad. Good thing Endeavor showed up to save them though, huh?"

"Yeah," Hana said with a nod, brushing some hair away from her scarred right eye. "I can't even imagine what it had to be like. Sure some of us can fight but still... It's the Hero Killer. He doesn't have that title just for show."

"Kaminari!" We heard Midoriya shout, which grabbed my attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dude!" He apologized, putting his hand over his mouth as if he had said something wrong. To which Iida held up his right hand.

"It's okay, you're fine." He looked at his left arm, which had a cast on it. "It is true he's quite a tenacious villain. I understand why some would think he is cool. But instead of helping the world, his beliefs led him to cold-blooded murder. No matter his motives killing cannot be condoned. to keep anyone else suffering like me, well," He took his right hand, directing it at the doorway "I promise, I will strive to be the perfect Hero!" He said is own authoritative way.

"Yeah!" Midoriya cheered. "Let's do it!"

"It's time for class to begin!" Iida announced, getting back into the usual class representative I knew. "Everyone, please take your seats!"

And he was beginning to go back into his usual form of loud announcements. Much as I hated it, it still brought a smile to my face to see he hadn't changed _too_ much from the events of the Hero Killer. If anything, I felt he was stronger than before. Both as a fighter, and as a person.

* * *

Six classes with a lunch between later, we were at a different site for our Hero class today as opposed to the usual city one we used. All Might stood in front of us in his usual pose with both fist at his sides, letting out a hearty laugh. All of us were in our Hero costumes, except for Iida's which needed some repairs.

"HAHAHA! I am here! Hope you're ready to return to your lessons!" He said with his usual cheeriness. "Today it's Hero Basic Training. Feels like I haven't seen you in a while, welcome back! Now then, listen carefully to what's in store. We're going to be conducting a little race. Take everything you learned from your internships and apply it to this rescue training."

"If it's Rescue Training, shouldn't we be at the USJ instead?" Iida asked, raising up his right hand.

"Ah. You see that facility specializes in disasters. As I said earlier, this is a race. So, prepare! you're about to step into Field Gamma!" He boomed. "Inside is an area full of factories that form an intricate labyrinth, so be careful as to not lose your way around. You'll be competing in three groups of five, and one of six. Each person will start from a different location on the outskirts of the model city. I'll send a distress signal, and you'll do what you must, to rescue me. Whoever finds me first, wins!" He then slowly began to point to Bakugo. "But try to keep the property damage to a minimum, please."

"Why are you pointing at me?" He said, looking incredibly ticked off."

"But before that, I have another announcement to make!" All Might said. "Mr. Aizawa is not able to assist me in today's class, so instead we will have a fresh face joining us." We waited a few seconds, All Might seeming to sweat. "I said, we will have a FRESH FACE JOINING US TODAY!"

Suddenly the ground next to All Might broke, someone slowly rising from the hole as the concrete began to fill it back up until it was like it had never been there. The figure then revealed themselves, taking off the western hat they had been wearing and flinging it to the side. I was shocked to see who it was.

"Sorry about that All Might. Concrete is well, concrete." My dad said, apologizing. He was wearing a grey t-shirt, a red sleeveless vest, and a pair of blue jeans with boots similar to mine. His hair even looked to be combed, even though it was a buzz-cut not really noticeable.

"Wait, I remember you from the Sport's Festival!" Tsuyu said.

"Oh, it's the frog girl!" My dad said, waving. "So you _are_ in my son's class."

"Allow me to introduce our newest member of staff, Jishin Ishi!"

Everyone then looked at me.

"Ishi? Isn't Mason's last name..."

"Yo, dad," I said, waving with my two fingers.

"Yo." He said back in a care-free voice, with the exact same wave.

"WHAAAAAAT?!" Everyone said, to which my dad let out a laugh of enjoyment.

* * *

 **A/N: SURPRISE! For more than one reason! Today is the first episode of BNHA season 3, not to mention a double upload today in honor of it being back! Also, you know, Mason's dad being brought in as a teacher for U.A. You gotta have the villain teacher, right? Who else to teach them how to fight villains than a villain himself... Well if we get technical you only count as a villain if your second crime was also Quirk related. Now, time for the reviews!**

 **D3lph0xl0v3r: I sure will keep it up, man.**

 **pokemonking0924: Oh he better, already got a love triangle going, we don't need to make this a square! Actually, wouldn't we be in harem status now? Either way, right now it's more of an Izuku and All Might relationship, with Mason being the one to make Choryu want to be a Hero.**

 **Now, for the prev- Wait, what? I shouldn't? Good point, next chapter will be up right after this. Okay, preview on the next chapter, let's go with a nice Plus Ultra!**


	37. Chapter 37

"When you get a look at him he does look like Mason... If he was a bit older." Momo pointed out, looking a bit surprised. "He just has a complexion more akin to a Japanese."

"Yeah, you're right. guess that means the dark skin is from his mom, maybe?" Jiro said, scratching her temple with her finger. Seemed everyone had their own questions for my dad. After all, even I was surprised to see him being involved with my class.

"Now now, let's not get too worked up. After the exercise, you can ask Mr. Ishi any questions you may have." All Might said. "Now, as tradition goes, the newbie picks the group for the exercise!"

"You just made that up, didn't you?" My dad said, giving All Might a skeptical look.

"Perhaps," All Might said, looking away.

With a sigh my dad put his hand to his chin, stroking his slight beard. "Sero, Ashido, Iida, Oijiro, and... Midoriya. Let's see what you've got."

"All right. First group, get to your places! Ishi, if you wouldn't mind bringing the students to the watchtower while I give our contenders their starting points?"

"Sure thing." My dad said, before leading us the "watchtower".

* * *

The "Watchtower" was set up on top of one of the factory buildings, with a set of bleachers and a giant screen showing where each person was located. My dad stood away from the bleachers, clipboard in hand. It was strange seeing my dad in a school setting, focused like a sharpshooter.

"Huh, I'd say Midoriya is at a heavy disadvantage against those four," Momo stated.

"That's what I was thinking. Moving around quickly isn't one of his strong-suits that's for sure. And whenever he uses his power he gets badly injured." Jiro pointed out.

They were both right, Midoriya was more of a solid tank, only moving when he had to reposition himself before getting in close for an attack. Meanwhile, everyone else had some sort of movement to rely on with their Quirks.

Hana let out a low "Hmm..." as if she was thinking about something.

"You think he's gonna pull this off?" I asked her.

She looked over at me. "If his Quirk works like I think it does, he might have something to lean on. Super strength is the best I can assume he can do right now. We've only seen him increase the strength of his fingers and arms. Sure he may get injured from time-to-time, But maybe even his legs could be enhanced if the output was managed properly..." She then put her hands up in defense. "I mean, that's just what my strategist side is saying!"

"Well, maybe we'll find out," I said, looking over at the screen.

"I'm betting on Sero!" Kirishima said, making my ears pay attention to him.

"Oh yeah? Hmm... I got odds on Oijio." Denki stated.

"I'm choosing Ashido! She's got a super athletic body." Mineta pointed out. Sure he was a pervert, but the man was right. She was one of the best of the Quirk Apprehension Test that Aizawa had held at the beginning of the year.

"I know Deku's gonna be last," Bakugo stated plainly. Seemed everyone had their bets on who would be faster.

Uraraka then spoke up. "Even if he's still recovering, I think Iida's got this one." Tsuyu agreed with a simple nod.

"Is everyone ready?" All Might asked, the screen panning to him holding what had to be the button to start the "race". "Begin!" He shouted, the button pressed and sounding a horn.

Immediately Ashido, Sero, Iida, and Oijiro began heading towards All Might with the strategies I knew they would.

Sero's quirk was great for getting a hold on people, even more for something like pipes where he could wrap his tape around it and propel himself forward using inertia. This area was perfect for him to use his Quirk to his advantage.

"Look at him go!" Kirishima cheered. "In a maze like this, it makes sense to be above everything else!"

You had Iida who could easily run, without having to rely on much besides keeping his turns in check. Oijiro could do something similar to Sero, using his tail to enhance his jumping ability like it was a spring.

Then there was Ashido. If there was one thing I remembered, besides her cheery attitude and loveable personality, was her Quirk was acid. That same acid could also have its acidity and solubility manipulated. Just like Sero, she had a Quirk that was perfect by maneuvering around and using the pipes to advantage by sliding on them.

Midoriya was nowhere to be seen until he suddenly passed by Sero in a flash of green. I was surprised, and so was everyone else, to see him actually being able to fend for himself against competitors with Quirks suited for this race.

He'd kick his foot against a pipe, or jump similar to a frog to send himself forward.

"Midoriya!?" Mineta, Kirishima, and Denki shouted in surprise.

"Since when could he do that!?" Kirishima said, still in surprise. So was I.

"So he did do it!" Hana cheered. "He just needed to enhance his legs so he could go all over the place! He's like Tsuyu!" To which Tsuyu let out a "kero" of surprise.

"You see," My dad said speaking up. "This is what training brings to the table. Not sure what this Midoriya kid did for training since the Sport's Festival, but he's definitely improved. Make sure you all take notes on how to use your Quirks in a mobile fashion. While not all of you may be capable of such, it's still good to remember that there are creative ways to use them. Isn't that right Yaoyorozu?"

"Y-yes, sir!" She said, straightening her posture.

Throughout we watched as everyone fought for first place, using their Quirks to help improve their movement. In the end, Sero ended up winning though. Gamma was just too suited to his Quirk when you looked at it. Midoriya seemed a bit bruised though, having fallen a few times when he couldn't get solid footholds on the pipes.

"Good job First Group! I have to say you have all improved quite a bit since the beginning of the year, and it makes me proud. Do make sure to keep doing so and to study for your final exam. Now, Second Group get into positions! Send them out Ishi!"

"Got it." He said with a thumbs up. "Let's take a look here... twenty-two students, of which five just went. Meaning I have to send one more group of five, and then three groups of four. So..." He looked down what had to be a list, making a face I usually did when a math problem was giving me a hard time. "Momo Yayorozu, Ochaco Uraraka, Tsuyu Asui, Tokoyami Fumikage, and Mason Ishi will be group two! Get to your positions!"

"Saw that one coming..." I remarked.

"Less talking, more moving!" My dad said, dropping his clipboard, which didn't even have any paper in it.

"Got it," I replied. "Where are we all going, though?"

My dad gave me a surprised look. "Yeah, where ya want them at All Might?"

* * *

"Oh, my back..." I complained as I leaned back, using my arms to crack it. Someone like me shouldn't be having back problems, but sadly during the race, I had fallen onto a pipe, and then onto a roof just below. Sure it had been about half an hour after my turn, but it still felt extremely sore.

After the race we went to the locker room to change out of our Hero costumes, and back into our school uniforms. I sat down and attempted to stretch, hoping it might relieve some pain. All it did was make me wince in pain.

"You sure you don't need to head to Recovery Girl Mason?" Midoriya asked, sounding concerned.

"It was just a little fall, nothing to worry about," I said, trying to reassure him. "Despite that, I still won."

"Yeah, it's amazing you were able to use that sand to support yourself and fly through the air. Seems you have a limit though..." Midoriya remarked.

"Well, I was trying to keep the sand in the air, tightly packed, and support myself in the air at the same time. It's kinda my bad for trying to do something so extreme without properly testing it out."

"That was some tough training today huh?" Sato said, sounding just as exhausted as I was."Never ran so fast in my life!"

"It was the first class in a while that had me glistening," Aoyama said, probably agreeing with Sato's statement in his own way.

"At least you had something to rely on, man. I really need to work on my mobility..." Kirishima said, sounding bummed out.

"you can also compensate by improving other skills," Tokoyami suggested, fixing his tie.

"Still wish I could use my Quirk for speed. I'm jealous of guys like you, Sero, and Mason." Denki said, giving Sero a look while the black-haired boy just smiled back at him.

As I got my uniform on and tightened my own tie, I could hear Mineta talking to Midoriya. For some reason, I felt a change in the room that only Mineta could bring.

"Hey, Midoriya! You won't believe what I just found! The jackpot!" He said, pointing to a poster falling off the wall with a hole in it. "Someone shaw-shanked a hole in this wall. A previous generation has given us a gift!" He said.

"Mineta, don't do it, man," I said to him as his cheeks reddened with excitement. "I know where you're going with this, and if it's anything like the Sport's Festival, it won't end well."

"You know what's next door though, right!?" He said to me, giving me a knowing look. "The girl's locker room!"

"Don't _even_ think about it!" Iida said, warning the shorty. "Peeping on them would be criminal!"

"Then you'll have to throw me into solitary confinement cause you can't stop me!" He shouted as he tore down the poster and looked into the hole.

"Mineta, I'll give ya five seconds. If that's okay with you class rep."

Iida nodded. "Just don't hurt him too much."

As I walked over and brought my right hand up, Mineta continued to ramble about each of the girl's prominent features like the pervert he was. Bringing up Ashido's "slender waist", Hana's "fine legs", and much more until everything went silent as a "shink" sound was made.

Mineta let out a scream of utter pain, and I looked down to see his eye had just been struck by Jiro's own earphone jack. For a few seconds I had some sympathy for him, and then it went away after I remembered what he had been trying to do just a moment ago.

"That's Jiro's earphone jack!" Midoriya shouted, looked both terrified and concerned. "What a brutal and precise attack from next door!"

It then retreated, and I got an idea. I put my face against the wall and whispered. "Hey, Jiro, can you let everyone know I'm clos-" A shriek was then heard on the other side. "I wasn't quiet, enough was I?" I said, feeling bad about possibly being too loud since Jiro most likely heard the whole commotion from the other side of the wall.

Me whispering could have translated as shouting in her ear for all I knew. I closed up the hole just enough on our side so nobody could scratch it to get it back, just in case her jack was still stuck.

"My eye, my eye!" Mineta shouted. "This is the risk of a pervert's life... I'll head to Recovery Girl by myself..." He said, still holding his left hand over it.

After getting dressed I waited by the girl's locker room for Jiro. I felt responsible for possibly shouting in her ear and causing her pain to her ears. It was about two minutes before they all came out, surprised I was there.

Jiro looked at me, sighing. "Thanks for closing up the hole." She said, her face a tad bit red.

"Sorry for doing that," I said, apologizing to her. "I was thinking you kinda had an idea of what was going on since you caught Mineta off-guard, so I thought by whispering at the wall-"

"Don't worry, I know what you were trying to do." She said, her mouth turning into a smile, the blush fading. "You just caught me off-guard is all. It was more of a surprise if anything."

"It sure was. Your face was redder than-"

"Tsuyu!" Jiro said, her face becoming red like Tsuyu had been insinuating.

Ashido laughed, seeming to enjoy the interaction. "It's fun to see you talking more. Usually, it's just me, you, Hana, and..." She trailed off trying to think as we all headed back to class. "Yeah, you don't really talk to anyone else! It's nice to see!"

"True. People can socialize with you with no problem, but you don't seem to go out of your way to talk with people." Yaoyorozu stated. "The only time I've seen you talk with anyone other than those two was me during our training for the Sport's Festival, and your father. You don't really socialize much with people, do you?"

"You'd think that, but he does sometimes," Ashido said. "We hang out on Saturdays to help him with that. He's really fun when you get past that shell of his."

"Yeah," I said agreeing. "Elementary school and middle school I didn't really talk much. I was the kind of kid to just get a book and stay away from everyone." I lied, but they didn't know the real reason behind it, so was it really a lie?

Yes, yes it was.

"How did you meet Hanakabe and Ashido though if you were like that?" Jiro asked.

"He met me the day before the entrance exam when I was in a rush and accidentally ran into him..." Hana said, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"And he met me when I saw he was lost and couldn't find a seat. So I waved him over to the one next to me!" Ashido explained, sounding extremely proud of what she did.

We arrived back in class, getting into our seats. Tsuyu then spoke up. "Since we're all talking, what exactly is Mason's dad gonna be teaching, and what is he like, Mason?"

"Well, my dad's kinda like me. As you've seen we kinda joke around with each other, have the same Quirk, and I'm basically like him. Save for my skin I'm a pretty much his clone!" I said with a laugh. "Oh yeah, he also said he went here but dropped out for some reason. So I guess we're alike with how we both want to be Heroes. For what my dad can teach though, not sure."

"You mentioned one time Mr. Aizawa is your uncle, so does that mean..." Hana trailed off.

"No, me and Ishi's father are not brothers," Aizawa said, walking in. "Sorry, but I had a meeting to attend. Seeing this commotion I'm guessing you all have met Mason's father and your new Combat teacher."

"Combat teacher?" Midoriya said aloud, sounding confused.

"He'll be helping you increase the strength of your Quirks and physical abilities, along with their growth. All Might's race was a benchmark to see how creative some of you could be, especially those lacking a Quirk that provides mobility." He then waved his left hand for someone to come in. "You could've come in anytime you know." He said as my dad entered, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well seems the jig is up huh?" He said nervously.

"It's been up for the past twelve seconds. It's irrational to think you could hide from one of your friends."

"So our new teacher is one of our student's parents?" Uraraka asked.

"Yes," My dad said. "As I said, last class, I am Mason's father, and he's my son. I'm also a former student of U.A. However as you see I didn't become a Pro like Dry-Eye here. Right now I'd like to go over everyone's results from the race. These aren't grades, but rather my observations." He cleared his throat and took out a small notepad. "Let's start off with the First Group. The winner was Hanta Sero. Your Quirk is perfectly suited, but however, you need to keep in mind you can't go wild, remember to be aware of your surroundings. Mina Ashido, all I have to say is make sure to not cause major property damage due to the properties of acids. Mashirao Oijiro, you seem to have an idea of how to make yourself mobile, but I feel you need to refine it more. Think more on your direction, and less on your destination."

"Yes, sir." He said.

"Tenya Iida, your Quirk is great for situations requiring speed, however, your biggest obstacle is being limited to only so much speed depending on the distance. You can only go so fast with only so much room to move around in. Lastly, Izuku Midoriya. From what I saw at the Sport's Festival, you've made quite the improvements." My dad remarked, surprised, his eyes filled with happiness. "Keep on doing whatever it is your doing, and make sure to watch your surroundings around unstable surfaces and footholds."

"I will," Midoriya said, bowing his head slightly.

"Now for everyone else!"

 _Oh no._ I thought to myself, knowing my dad had some words in store for some of the people to come up next. I wasn't going to look forward to this at all.

* * *

 **A/N: Time for things to get going! As said, this is part of a double upload, so no reviews to look at. However, that doesn't mean I can't comment on some things. Such as how Mason's dad is only able to teach at U.A. due to the clause in his probation, that being "Can only use his Quirk if supervised by a licensed individual". I have plans for Mason's dad, seeing as a certain arc will be coming up soon, muahahaha. Hope you all enjoy this double upload of chapters and have a good day! Now to the preview of next chapter!**

 **"That's right. Training. While your camping in the woods."**

 **"I'm having declarations of war flashbacks..."**

 **"We're fighting... the teachers...?"**

 **Students vs Teachers, let's rock on!**


	38. Chapter 38

"Well, it's almost time for summer vacation," Aizawa brought up to us. "Don't get too excited, you can't just relax for an entire month."

"Does that mean...?" Denki asked, a tinge of excitement in his question.

"That's right. Training. While your camping in the woods." He finally said.

We all shouted with excitement, getting to experience yet another "normal" school activity. A camping trip that would be taking over the entire summer vacation sounded pretty good to me, even if it was going to have a twist like the Sport's Festival had.

"A big sleepover!" Ashido cheered.

Mineta, interjecting with his own comment about "baths".

"Fireworks!" Tsuyu said, looking up as she lost herself in thought about it.

"Being in the woods?" Hana said, tapping my shoulder. "That shouldn't be a problem for you since you're kinda a down-to-earth guy."

I smiled and waved my finger back-and-forth. "I see what you did there."

"Hanging out with everyone all summer? I'm so excited!" Hagakure shouted, her sleeves moving up and down.

"However," Aizawa said, his tone making it obvious he was the one to only be speaking now. "Those of you who do not pass the final exam before the semester is over will have summer school."

Kirishima turned around, shouting to all of us "Everyone, do your best!"

Our usual homeroom period was now brimming with excitement. Instead of sleeping I decided to talk with people around me, seeing the trip was going to be a highlight for the next few days.

"So how is it living with a parent who's also your teacher?" Hana asked me.

"Not as bad as you think. After five years, we've kept in touch so it's nothing major." I replied.

"From what you said your dad trained you how to fight, right? Does he still do that?"

I shook my head. "No. All of that was just so I knew what I was capable of. This trip is definitely gonna be different though. Lot more room, and dirt. Speaking of training, how did the internship with your dad go?" I asked.

She looked down at her desk. "It went well. He still thinks we're a thing, and wonders if I plan on inviting you home anytime soon. Hopefully, work can distract him from that for the next few years."

I felt a bead of sweat go down the side of my head. "I forgot we still had that problem..."

She gave me an anger-filled look. "How do you forget something like that!? We literally just went through that whole situation not even a week ago, and you forgot?" she then cleared her throat. "Th-then again, you have had a lot on your table with your dad, and what happened in Hosu."

"Not that much. Studying won't be hard though."

"I just remembered..."

"What?" I asked her.

"Every test you ever did you never studied, but you did better than me by two or so points." She remarked. "How?"

I shrugged and smiled. "No clue. I just remember something after learning about it a few times in class. The practical is a different story though. I'm gonna need to refine some techniques for that." I admitted.

"That's what you're worried about?" Ashido asked, her face filled with both confusion and disappointment.

"Yes, it is." I replied with a smile on my face.

* * *

"Alright, that's it for class today," Aizawa said, stacking our papers on his desk after having us do some papers on Quirk Regulation Laws. "I'm sure you're all studying constantly, right?" He waited for a response. "Additionally, make sure to keep training, the written test is only one element." He said before leaving the room. "There's also the practical portion to worry about. Good luck." He said, closing the door.

"I've barely taken notes this semester!" Ashido said as she put her arms behind her head in her carefree style, while Denki seemed to be panicking. Ashido laughed it off while he seemed... Well, the poor guy seemed to be letting the pressure get to him.

I felt fine with how my grades were, seeing on the midterm I placed seventh. To be honest, I could've scored higher, but there was just too many other people in this class who were just as, if not, smarter than me.

"No problem for you I take it," Hana stated with a smug smile on her face. She had placed sixth in the midterms.

"Just because you're one place ahead doesn't mean you have to gloat."

She chuckled. "What do you mean? It's like you said, you just need to see it once right?"

"Yes. Though I think I might need to look at my notes a second time, just in case." I said, feeling her metaphorically put me in check.

There wasn't that much to worry about anyways! I just needed to pass was all. The only thing that worried me was the practical exam. All I knew was we'd have to either fight robots like my dad had told me or show how good we were without Quirks and our skills we've learned as a Hero.

I briefly looked over at Yaoyorozu to see her acting quite cheerful for some reason. Seeing she was top of the class, as I expected her to be after seeing her in action during the review portion of the Battle Test All Might did, no doubt some of the people in the class would want her to help them with studying.

"Maybe..." I said, thinking on the idea of a study group.

"Maybe what?" Hana asked, twirling her hair along her left index finger.

"Thinking about possibly doing a study group. But it probably wouldn't be good. Since well, I don't really study." I admitted. "Just hope whatever the practical ends up being, it's something that I can pull off easily."

"I think that's what we're all hoping," Hana laughed nervously.

It wasn't until after lunch that we'd find out what the Practical Final Exam was going to be. Midoriya had learned from Kendo from Class 1-B, the girl who could enlarge her fist, that the Practical was going to be against robots.

Unlike this morning Ashido and Denki were in high spirits after hearing the news.

"Alright!" They both shouted.

"This'll be super easy if it's just robots!" Denki remarked.

"Such awesome news!" Ashido said, enjoying the fact it was only robots no doubt.

"Why do you sound so happy?" Shoji asked. "You both have a hard time controlling your Quirks."

"Yeah, but I can let loose with robots!" Denki countered.

"And melting them will be a cinch for me!" Ashido said, agreeing with Denki's statement.

"Now you just need Yaoyorozu to help you study and you'll be all set for finals!" Sero added in.

The two continued to express their excitement, meanwhile, I began thinking about how it could possibly be something different. Just because it was one type of final for one class, didn't mean it'd be for all classes.

Yet something else seemed to bother me as well. Something me and my dad had both talked about.

* * *

It was the night after my dad's first class, and of course, he had me sit at the table and talk to him.

"So..." He said, tapping his fingertips against one another. "Do they know about..."

"No," I said to him. "The only one I've told is Hana, and well, Chikara kinda got the idea of it after I got mad when he said some... Things that I didn't agree with."

"Wasn't he the kid you gave the smack-down to?" I had given him a look, to which he got the message and took a breath in and let it back out. "Right, not the time for jokes. So no one knows that me, your father, happened to rob a bank, injure a good fifty people, and killed three. One of which I didn't know about a few weeks ago."

"No," I said again.

We both sighed, and said at the same time. "How are we gonna do this?"

"The staff, as in Midnight, Aizawa, Hound Dog, Nezu, Yamada, Snipe, Blood King, and Cemetoss already know about this. Hell, a few of them were there." My dad said.

"Hana and Chikara know, and I doubt he'd tell anyone else. Not after that 'smack-down'." I said with a little chuckle.

"Do you ever plan on telling them, though? I know it's because of me you've had to be in hell for five years, so it's up to you if you want to. No doubt at least three people have tried looking up anything about me. Sure the principal got me on probation, on which I can only use my Quirk and teach if supervised. Doesn't mean everything is suddenly like it never happened though."

"I know, and I trust them," I told my dad. "If they find out about it, they find out about it. I still don't feel it's the right time to let people know. But if I wait too long, it'll make it seem like I'm ashamed. When I'm not. It's like Kuzan said, I have all this anger bottled up in me, and I'm afraid of using an outlet to get it out. I haven't let go of the past. Just because I've been friends with them for now, doesn't mean they'll still be my friends afterward." I explained.

"I can understand that. Just don't hold back too long. One of these days, people _will_ find out." My dad said, before getting up. "You've got a good group of friends. Sure you might not talk with all of them, but when you were doing the race, I saw all of them keeping their eyes on you. not because it was you on the screen, but that it was the look of people seeing a fellow classmate, and wanting him to do his best. So keep doing your best. And remember, _no matter what people think of you, only_ you _can be who you want to be._ "

* * *

I was brought back to reality by Bakugo shouting "DEKU!" It seemed he was angry about something. Then again, the ashy-blonde was always angry about something. Yet whenever he talked to Midoriya, there seemed to be a thickness of animosity in the air. What was the problem these two had?!

"I don't know what's going on with your Quirk, but I see the way you're using it now and I want you to know," He said, his tone sharp and threatening. "It's seriously pissing me off.

It then clicked in my mind. The way Deku- I mean Midoriya- had been moving was just like Bakugo did with his explosions. Propelling himself through the air and hopping around.

"This might get b-bad..." Hana said, sounding concerned.

"I won't have another half-assed win like the festival," Bakugo stated. "We'll be getting individual scores in the upcoming finals. _New_ rankings." He raised his hand up to point at Midoriya. "So we'll know exactly where we're standing, and I'll show you how much better I am!" He said angrily. "And Todoroki, I'll kill you too." He threatened, before leaving the classroom and slamming the door.

"I'm having declarations of war flashbacks..." Hana said, for comedic effect or out of memory I don't know.

All I knew is that Bakugo had some sort of problem with Midoriya. So much so that it made the explosive boy much more volatile than you think he originally was. What was his deal?

"It's been a while since I've seen him get so worked up..." Kirishima remarked with concern.

"Think it's impatience?" Tokoyami asked.

"Well guys, let's not dwell on it," I said, trying to break up the atmosphere. "Hope we all do good on the test. We all better be at that camp, ya hear me?"

"Sure will," Ashido said, smiling. Part of me felt she knew what I was trying to do with how quickly she replied.

"Let's do our best!" Uraraka shouted, similar to how she did before the Sport's Festival.

* * *

The remaining week was filled with studying and training for the upcoming events.

Whatever I didn't spend studying and reading out of my notebooks and textbooks was spent with my dad at the gym, preparing myself. My mom joined in as well, looking at foods that would be perfect for my diet with the upcoming days.

Surprisingly, I even saw Hana at the gym. We didn't spend much time together, just a simple wave at one another before getting back to work. Same with my morning jog and seeing Midoriya as I passed by the beach that had been mysteriously cleared over the course of a few months.

Even at night on the days after doing written exams, I'd study for the next day, just to give myself the edge I'd need in case a subject would pop up again or had yet to.

After three days of written exams, the clock began to numb down to the final wire of time left for the final day. Just as I finished the final problem for Quadratic Functions I set down my pencil, Aizawa finally speaking after having to be silent for so long as we took our tests.

"All right, times up. Put down your pencils and will the last person in each row collect papers and bring them up to me." He asked.

As Yaoyorozu began to do so, Denki and Ashido both got up to talk to her. "Thanks for your help!" The pink-skinned girl said.

While Denki said, "At least I didn't leave anything blank!"

After that, we were taken to the exam location for the practical. We had been told to get into our Hero Costumes and to bring any gear associated with it. For the time being my half-face mask was down as we were told what it'd be.

All of the teachers were lined up, including Power Loader, the leading teacher for the Support Course, and my dad. It was both intimidating, and at the same time kind of awe-inspiring.

Even my dad for once looked more serious than whenever I had come to visit him when he was in jail. He was even wearing an old aviator jacket I had only seen him wear on in a few pictures at home, goggles on top of his head and a metal mask covering his face below his eyes.

'Now then, Aizawa said, grabbing our attention. "Let's begin the last test. Remember it's possible to fail this final. If you want to go to the camp, then don't make any stupid mistakes."

"Why are the teachers here?" Jiro asked.

"I believe some of you have gathered information and have some idea of what you'll be faced with today," Aizawa explained.

"We're fighting those big old metal robots!" Denki shouted, leaning back and putting his fingers up in a rock-and-roll stance.

"Fireworks, s'mores, here we come!" Ashido shouted, joining Denki's excitement.

A muffled voice then spoke, Aizawa's scarf beginning to rustle around. "Actually this year's exam," And out popped Principal Nezu, with his paw high in the air. "Will be different for various reasons!"

"You're changing things?!" Yaoyorozu said, sounding surprised.

Nezu grabbed a piece of Aizawa's scarf, using it to descend down him like some sort of mountain while Thirteen made sure he didn't fall. "The test now have a new focus. There will be Hero work of course, but also teamwork and combat between actual people." He pointed at us with his paw. "So what does that mean for you? You will be working in pairs and your opponents will be one of our esteemed U.A. teachers isn't that fabulous?" He asked, sounding all too excited about it.

"We're fighting... the teachers...?" Uraraka asked, sounding terrified.

"I'll have to fight Mason's dad?!" Kirishima said, sounding a bit shaken. Was my dad that terrifying?

"Additionally your teammate and opponent have already been chosen," Aizawa stated. "They were determined at my discretion based on various factors such as fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relationships." He explained. "First, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki are a team. Against me." He said with a smile. "Then we have Midoriya, paired up with Bakugo."

Both looked at each other, stunned that they were partnered up with each other.

"And they're opponent is-"

With the entrance you would expect, All Might fell from the sky, and landed on the ground, making the dust rise up, the ground intact and not showing any sign of having broken from the force of his landing. He then raised up his fist, a smile on his face. " _I_ am here. To fight!"

I felt bad knowing they'd have to fight _the_ Number One Hero. At the same time, I was glad it wasn't me. Otherwise, I would lose without even getting a chance to pass the final.

"We have to fight All Might!?" Bakugo and Midoriya both shouted.

"You'll have to work together boys if you want to win." All Might said to them.

"And now, let's announce the teams and the teachers they'll be fighting in order!" Nezu said.

 _Is he a mouse, or some sort of long-tailed bear?_ I asked myself in my head, realizing he was kinda a mix of both.

In order, the finals would be Cementoss versus Kirishima and Sato. Second would be Tsuyu and Tokoyami versus Ectoplasm. Third, Iida and Ojior versus Power Loader. The fourth round would be Aizawa versus Yaoyorozu and Todoroki. The fifth round Aoyama and Uraraka versus Thirteen. Sixth round would be me and Hana versus... Well, my dad.

After us, the final four matches would be Nezu versus Ashido and Denki, Present Mic versus Koda and Jiro, Snipe versus Shoji and Hagakure, and Midnight versus Sero and Mineta. Finally, the last match would be Midoriya and Bakugo against All Might. None of these teachers would be easy to fight against.

Not just because they were teachers and knew our Quirk and how much we got along with each student. Compared to us, they had _years_ of time to hone their Quirks. In the end, nothing could beat experience.

 _Well this is just going to be fun, isn't it?_

"To complete the exam, you will have thirty minutes," Nezu explained. "In order to win the objective is to put these handcuffs on your teacher," He held up golden handcuffs, with what seemed to be a built-in adjuster for wrist-size. "Or you can win if one of you manages to escape the combat stage."

"So we've either got to capture the teacher or runaway," Denki stated. "It's basically like the combat training."

"Yeah, but is it really okay to just jet?" Ashido asked.

"Yup," Nezu said, holding his thumb up.

"It's gonna be much different from that combat training Y'all went through earlier in the year," Present Mic stated, moving his arms like he was messing with a turntable. "After all, you're against people WAAAAAAAAAY better than you!"

"Better, really?" Jiro asked. "Wait aren't you just the announcer?"

"Hey watch your mouth girl have some respect!" He shouted.

"This time your exam will be very similar to a real battle. As strange as it is, please think of us as villains." Thirteen asked.

"Assuming if you come across your enemy, and feel you can win against them, then fight. However", Snipe said.

"In instances where you're outmatched, it would be smarter to run away and find help," Aizawa stated. "Iida, Todoroki, Midoriya, I'm sure you would understand."

"You fight to win, or run to win," Midoriya said.

"That's right!" All Might boomed. "It's a test of your decision-making skills! But with these rules, you're probably thinking running is your only option! That's why the Support Course made this super-clever accessory for us!" He said, taking what seemed to be a silver-threaded bracelet with black plates around them.

"Behoooolddd! Ultra-compressed weights!" Present Mic shouted, fan-fare playing from the speaker around his collar.

"Those look... heavy," I said, watching as Aizawa's foot fell to the ground soon as it was attached. Even my dad seemed to have trouble as he tried to put his hands back in his pockets.

"Of course these are heavy! Did you not hear the 'ultra-compressed' part!?" My dad said, raging at my obvious statement.

"These babies will add about half our body weight to our physiques!" All Might explained. "It's not much but it will make it harder to move and eat away at our stamina- Oh shoot that's heavier than I thought..." All Might said, struggling to keep his arm up for a second. "We had a contest to have these designed, and young Hatsume ending up winning it."

"Wasn't she the girl who used Iida to advertise her inventions?"

"Yes," Hana said, answering my question.

"Oh, good for Hatsume!" Midoriya said, surprised by how heavy the weights were, or possibly by Hatsume being the one to win the contest.

"You think we need a handicap to win? Guess again," Bakugo said, sounding offended.

All Might let a long laugh, before saying in a menacing voice "This'll be fun."

"Let's begin," Aizawa said. "The teams for the Practical Exam will be taken in the order you are called. We have a stage prepared for you. Sato, Kirishima, you're up."

"Yes, sir!" Both of them said.

"Those of you who are waiting to fight can watch the fight or try to strategize as a team, it's your choice, that's all."

I looked at Hana. "Strategize?" I asked her.

"Because it's your dad, we _should_ strategize," Hana said. "Any idea on how to fight him?"

"Where to even begin..." I said trying to rack my brain as the time went by until our match against my dad.

As I had said, this was going to be fun... Sarcasm fully included. For the next roughly two and a half hours, I and Hana would have to formulate either a plan to get the cuffs onto my dad, or possibly run from him. Neither looking to be a plan requiring simple chess board strategy. After all, like father like son.

And if my intelligence was anything to talk about it, it was we both knew how to use our Quirks to their utmost potential.

* * *

 **A/N: And so the preparation for the battle between father and son commence! Until then, we'll see what Hanakabe and Mason have to say about their classmate's matches against the teachers. Have to say Horikoshi had a lot going for this arc since it kinda set up each character for overcoming and realizing their own short-comings. However, since Hana is basically going to fight her mother's indirect killer, wonder how she'll take this match? Make sure to stay tuned and find out!**

 **one step behind: You got a look to look forward to man! As for the season 3 pool episode, of course, I'm gonna do a thing on that (side note, it's done, and Jesus is that more words than I planned on doing for the chapter). Now as for screen time with Class 1-B, I'll try. It'll be hard since we only know about seven of the student's Quirks. But I do have some stuff in mind, seeing Pony is half-American. As for the interaction, I feel he does need that. Time for the boy to embrace his inner social butterfly!**

 **61394: Your gut feeling was right!**

 **D3lph0xL0v3r: Get ready for a lot more, cause what comes next is just gonna keep on coming.**

 **pokemonking0924: You predicted right! I mean not gonna lie since they're OCs I feel it's best to team them up and have their own separate things going on. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one man!**

 **Now, for the preview!**

 **"So should we try to fight, or run?"**

 **"Due to both of them having Quirks that can increase their reach, they were able to get some breathing room."**

 **"Matro- What are they?"**

 **Tune in next week! Also update, we're back on track for weekly uploads! I uh... Kinda got carried away since season 3 hyped me up... hehe... PLUS ULTRA!**


	39. Chapter 39

"Since he's your dad, he has the same Quirk as you, right?" Hana asked me as we walked into the building, sitting down in what appeared to be the main lobby.

"I get half of my Quirk from him," I answered.

"Half?" She said, confused, before making a sound of realization. "That's right, you can manipulate anything mineral-based, and mold stone like it's soft clay, right? I remember you saying it was a mutation from your mom's Quirk."

"Yeah. My dad has the typical 'earth manipulation', and my mom's Quirk is 'Shaping'. Unlike me though, he isn't restricted to a twenty-foot range. He never told me the specifics, just that we're both suited for all-ranges." I explained.

"So he's an Emitter, all-ranges, not to mention most likely- and no offense to you Mason- an upgraded version of you?"

I nodded. "Basically. Not to mention he knows my fighting-style down to my thought process. Right now he's probably thinking of his own plan, along with any others I might think of."

"So should we try to fight, or run?" Hana asked me, taking her sword from her back and checking the blade before putting it back. "I take it my barriers could work, right?"

"Could you make a solid box, or would the ground interfere?"

She hung her head low. Looking at her I noticed she had continued to not hide her right eye anymore, her hair brushed over her ears showing off the scars around it. "If there's solid ground under me, all I can do is make walls on it, not like a house which has a foundation that you would build the walls on. Even if he was trapped, so long as we're within his range he'd be able to just encase me in stone and restrict my movement, or attack us while stuck in my barrier."

"True," I admitted. "That only leaves running away once we get down to it. In which case we'd pretty much be playing into his hands if he decides to wait at the exit." I scratched my head, trying to think of a solid plan.

As I said, I and my dad basically had the same Quirk. We even had the same "tremor-sense", being able to detect people if they were touching the ground within our range.

We didn't really have any options other than run and try to escape. If anything, only I'd be able to escape. I could just turn the stone restraining me into sand, and run away. My dad would probably take Hana out just to get rid of her being a nuisance with barriers, and only have me to worry about.

From there, he'd probably try to tire me out by switching from long and close-range attacks. Maybe even create a sandstorm if he felt like it just to limit my sight. It seemed like any ideas I came up with were useless once I thought of the possible ways my dad could counter them.

"Well, seems we'll just have to play it by ear if anything," I said, feeling defeated.

"By ear?" She said, sounding confused.

"It's a figure of speech," I explained. "We have a rough idea of what my dad is capable of, we'll just have to make it up as we go. Point is we shouldn't try to fight. We have the option to run, and should take it."

"Right," She agreed, seeming to understand.

"Also Hana, not sure how this will go since my dad... Well..."

"Don't worry." She said with a smile on her face. "I'm not going to lie, I hate your father, but not in the way you think. I don't hate _him_. I hate that it was because of _him_ my mom died. I shouldn't let my emotions get the better of me because of it. Still," I noticed her hands were tightening on her knees. "I'm sure you know how I feel."

"I don't know," I admitted. "All I know is the pain of being seen as a copy of my dad. Not what you went through after losing your mom. Or the feelings you might have right now having to fight the guy who caused your mom's death. I just know that if ever need to talk about it, you got me, and everyone else in class too. After all, I'm gonna have to tell everyone one of these days."

Hana looked up surprised, yet skeptical as she raised one of her eyebrows. "You're going to tell them about you and your dad?"

"Someone's gonna either look it up or found out some other way. I have to come to terms with it, just like you are having to fight my dad."

"Glad to hear it, Mason. To think after getting to know you in middle school," She reminisced. "you've really tried to be that hero you wanted to be, huh?"

"Yup!" I said, a smile appearing on my face.

Hana laughed a bit after I gave my simple answer. That was just me, always giving an answer so simple it had it's own comedic effect to it.

She stood up, adjusting her short sleeves and skirt before beginning to walk off. "Come on, let's go check out how the others are doing. We might not have a plan, but at least we can cheer them on."

* * *

We arrived at the "Monitor Room" to see Midoriya and Uraraka watching a bright screen, standing in a room similar to the one during the battle training at the beginning of the year. It was dark save for the light from said screens.

Sitting down in a chair looking like the one in my room at my desk, was the short figure of Recovery Girl. No doubt she was playing both observer and nurse for after the fights. She didn't even turn around to see we were here before speaking up.

"Ah, so you came to watch too? Either you're confident in your plan or hoping to get lucky. Doesn't matter, so long as you don't get hurt out there." She said, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"What?" Midoriya said, before turning to see me and Hana. "Oh Mason, and Hanakabe. You guys here to watch too?"

"Hey, guys!" Uraraka said, beaming a big smile on her face as she waved at us.

"Yeah, we finished planning. Hana more or less came down here, and sorta followed." I admitted.

"how did Sato and Kirishima do?" Hana asked.

"They lost sadly," Midoriya answered. "Cemetoss can use his Quirk without depleting his stamina, so he kept throwing up walls for Kirishima and Sato to break down to tire them out before capturing them."

"Aww..." Hana said, sounding disappointed. "That means they won't be able to go to the Training Camp!"

"Yeah that's gonna be a bit of a bummer," I admitted. "Kirishima was all pumped for it too..."

Feeling a bit sad one of the people in our class who had the most gusto wouldn't be coming along on the trip, I only glanced at the screen we were all staring at. It seemed to show off a general picture of each of the areas the students and teachers would be fighting in.

"So who's up next?" Hana asked, sounding a bit bummed out like I currently was.

"Tsuyu and Tokoyami," Midoriya answered. "They're up against Ectoplasm. If I remember his Quirk allows him to make clones of himself, each being as combat efficient as he is. He can even make them larger than himself, but that requires more energy, so he can't make as many as if they were his normal-sized ones."

"So it's more quality or quantity when you get down to it?" I asked him.

"Basically. Not sure how they'll be able to hold him off though." The green-haired boy admitted. "Tsuyu's Quirk offers her a lot of mobility, but not much on combat. But it works since Tokoyami's gives him great offense, defense, _and_ mobility."

"So they should be good right?" Uraraka asked. "Tokoyami managed to get far in the tournament until he faced Bakugo."

A horn then sounded over the screen. "Team Asui and Tokoyami. Practical exam, go!" The male-sounding voice said.

"That's the thing though," Midoriya said, looking concerned as Asui and Tokoyami both began to run towards the hallway and out of the center room they were in with multiple levels above them. "Due to his Quirk Ectoplasm has one thing he can always rely on some villains can't." Suddenly a white, mist-like substance filled the room, forming into perfect copies of Ectoplasm, black skull-face with a faded brown trench-coat and all. "A number's advantage. He's basically a one-man army, able to make more clones if he needs to."

As the clones moved to attack Tokoyami summoned Dark Shadow, having it grab Tsuyu and throw her. As she flew through the air she shot out her long tongue, grabbing him and pulling him to one of the upper levels of the circular room.

"Nice!" Uraraka cheered.

"An escape only the two of them could pull off!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Due to both of them having Quirks that can increase their reach, they were able to get some breathing room. For now at least." I added, to which Midoriya agreed with a simple nod.

"That's good communication, they're talking to each other," Recovery Girl remarked. "It may not seem like much but it's important. I don't just mean having a sidekick or teammate you know you match well with. Real heroes need to able to communicate with anyone." She said as she got back into her chair.

"So, we were talking about these Finals," Midoriya said to Recovery Girl. "And how each student is supposed to be facing their weaknesses."

"That's right," Recovery Girl agreed.

"So what did Tokoyami and Asui need to work on?" He asked. "I'm having trouble figuring out how Mr. Ectoplasm's Quirk is a bad matchup against theirs."

 _Weaknesses? If so then why put me and Hana against my dad?_ I wondered.

"Oh? Well, it's not good. For Tokoyami at least." The old nurse said.

"Why do you say that?" Uraraka asked, just as confused as I and Hana were. Did Ectoplasm have a way of nullifying Tokoyami's Quirk? If so I didn't know if he did have a way to make that much light.

"Just keep watching." Recovery Girl urged us.

We turned our eyes back to the screen to see both of them trying to escape from Ectoplasm. A few of them formed in their path, only to be knocked out of the way by Dark Shadow. Upon impact they blew up into that strange white mist they were all made of.

Just as Dark Shadow was about to attack another one of Ectoplasm's clones, Tsuyu had attacked one going to roundhouse the bird-boy from behind. It seemed that either Ectoplasm was up top, or possibly closer than I thought.

They took out the ones from behind them, using the same tactic once again to go up to the top floor. In front of them was a blue hallway, more of the clones appearing. Just how many of these things could he make?

"Tokoyami has is quick and can attack from afar, allowing him to keep his distance. Those are all strengths. But looking at it another way, he's weak at close-range." Recovery Girl pointed out.

"Wow, I never thought of his power like that," Uraraka admitted.

"Mr. Ectoplasm's clones can appear from anywhere unexpectedly," Midoriyta began.

"To which if Ectoplasm can surround him, he'll be at a severe disadvantage," I stated.

"Then there's Asui," Recovery Girl added. "A stellar student with no clear weaknesses. She can provide support to her ally, as powerful as he may be. But she's important in another way too. Her level-headedness and ability to provide emotional support are the key to them passing."

"Emotional support, huh," Midoriya said, seeming to remember something.

"Show 'em what ya got guys!" I cheered on, knowing they'd pass. After all, they got this far, right?

Without any strain they cleared the hallway, making to where Ectoplasm himself stood with the guy just a few feet behind him. Soon as he saw them, he let out of his mouth more of the mist, creating a giant clone that proceeded to bit down on them and solidify, trapping them in the substance.

My eyes widened in shock. I didn't know about this move at all, just that he was able to make bigger clones if he had to. It seemed they were going to lose until Dark Shadow shot out, going to attack Ectoplasm.

Watching the fight this was really the first time I got to see what Dark Shadow looked like. Save for the bottom half was a dark smoky tendril connecting it to Tokoyami, the upper half looked like Tokoyami.

Save for the glowing yellow eyes, and clawed hands. It kinda reminded me of a genie and how it was bound to a lamp.

Despite its intimidating appearance, the shadow was getting beat down by Ectoplasm's kicks. no doubt if Tokoyami was closer in range, he'd be able to fend for himself more.

It wasn't until Dark Shadow went back to Tokoyami and then darted forward for another attack, rearing back his fist. Ectoplasm jumped up, and with a swift kick knocked it away like it was nothing. Yet it wasn't until a second later we saw that the cuffs had been placed on Ectoplasm's leg, the adjustable rings wrapped around it.

"Wow! They leg-cuffed him!" Uraraka cheered.

"They did it!" Hana beamed, seeming to be happy as well.

"Told you they'd do it," I said smugly.

"They passed! They figured out a way to do it by using Dark Shadow and Frog together! What a great team!" Midoriya said, in his own little way.

"Team Asui and Tokoyami have passed the Final!" The speaker said once more.

* * *

For the third match was Oijiro and Iida versus Power Loader. It was easy for them to get to the gate until Power Loader began digging around underneath the surface.

The area was somewhat like a construction zone, a lot of dirt around, not much cover either. Power Loader's Quirk gave him giant claws, allowing him to dig around with ease. Add in he had a giant mech-like support-item to help him dig faster and bigger piles of dirt, and he made sure to create pitfall traps that would collapse once you stepped on them.

It wasn't a matter of them fighting, but more on how to even get across without getting stuck in one of the traps. the plan they went with was hilarious when I look back on it.

Oijior had hitched a ride on Iida's back, and he proceeded to use Recipro-Burst as he called it, to outrun the traps. It was working until Power Loader created a deep trench, separating them from the exit gate by just a few meters.

"This isn't good!" Midoriya remarked, looking worried.

Quickly Oijior wrapped his tail around Iida's leg and was thrown over the trench, and through the gate. Power Loader had even tried to grab his tail, only to have his mech-arm smacked down by the said tail.

"Team Oijiro and Iida have passed the Final!" The speaker announced.

Sure one of them made it out, but with Iida's sacrifice came the hilarious fact his head was stuck in the ground. It didn't take much for Power Loader to dig around him and help him out of the dirt that had surrounded him.

Unlike Iida and Oijior's match, however, it was the next one that had me worried. Todoroki and Yaoyorozu versus Eraserhead. If I felt anyone was going to fail, it was definitely them.

I'm wasn't biased, it's just I felt that was what was going to happen. Sure they had powerful Quirks, but so did Uncle Aizawa. What was more powerful than a Quirk that could stop yours from activating or being able to use it? Not to mention it worked through "line-of-sight", and not something like touch, or eye-contact.

All he'd have to do is make sure to see them, and not let them see him or know where he was hiding. It was that strategy Uncle Aizawa was known for. Disabling the opponent's Quirk, and restraining them for the authorities to pick up.

The area for this test looked to be a suburban neighborhood, with lots of houses grouped up together. Perfect for someone like Eraserhead to simply jump from roof to roof to reposition himself. He wouldn't sit still, it'd be irrational.

"Team Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, practical exam. Ready, go!" The speaker announced for the fourth time since the exams started, the horn sounding.

Soon as it began both of them headed for an alley, Todoroki taking the lead. It was a good plan. Sticking between the buildings would give them cover, instead of taking the main streets where Aizawa would easily spot them.

And that was exactly what Uncle Aizawa was doing, crouching on top of one of the many rooves, goggles over his eyes and carbon-fiber scarf floating around him like it was some other entity. Just as I thought, he was searching for them instead of waiting for them to arrive at the exit, unlike the other teachers had.

Looking back to the camera observing Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, it seemed they went for the main street now.

"Why is Momo constantly making those dolls?" Uraraka asked.

"Probably a counter-measure to know if Mr. Aizawa has sight of them," Midoriya explained. "Well, that's what I think. If anyone knows, it'd be you, right Mason?"

I snapped my head, having been fully absorbed in what was going on on-screen. "Me?" I said, surprised they'd ask me. Midoriya was the know-it-all when it came to Heroes. "I'm with you on the counter-measure idea. Uncle Aizawa's Quirk works soon as he sees you and ends once he blinks. Making those matryoshkas isn't such a bad idea on Momo's part."

"Matro- What are they?" Hana asked me.

"Russian nesting dolls." I began to explain. "Inside them are miniature versions of the doll, and you can opening them until you get the final one. They can also be hollow."

"So right now all they're doing is making their way to the exit until they run into each other?"

I nodded at Uraraka's question. "Yup. Uncle Aizawa's mindset is to think smarter, not harder. He would rather attack them one at a time than have to deal with them at the exit where one could easily distract him as he fights the-" I stopped as I saw Yaoyorozu had stopped making the dolls, talking with Todoroki. "Aaaand they're gonna fail."

"Sure are." Recovery Girl said, agreeing with me.

"What do you-" Hana began, catching herself at the end. "Oh."

We then watched as Aizwa dropped down from a power line, dodging a kick from Todoroki as Yaoyorozu fled in the other direction. The black track-suited hero took the scarf, tying up Todoroki and pulling, suspending him in the air like a pinata, tying what was only _one_ scarf out of many to a nearby pole.

All I could do was bring my head to my face, sad that I was right, but at the same time wishing, I was wrong. We all wanted to go on the trip, but it seemed now there was going to be four, not going.

* * *

 **A/N: HA! I thought we were done with cliffhangers! But you were wrong! Let's be honest we all know what happens, I just felt that this spot where Aizawa nabs Todoroki would make for a good cliffhanger and an end to the for the reviews!**

 **Grubkiller13579: Not sure if she'll be "hitting" hitting on him, but I do plan on her being a focus with the training camp arc. Since they both kinda have the same Quirk.**

 **D3lph0Xl0v3r: I pity them as well.**

 **Sandman001: Well, of course, I pair the two up. They're both OCs, not to mention I'll never know if any of these said team-ups might have an impact on the future of the story. Romance doesn't mean they _always_ have to be together. **

**pokemonking0924: Sadly the fight wasn't this chapter. It's good for Mason to get to see some of the others in action, not to mention provide some additional commentary. Also thanks man, been trying to think of what would be cool for Jishin's (Terrarizer's) outfit, which it's a resized version of when he used to go to U.A. Now as for the fight, about another chapter or two until we get to it!**

 **Now for a preview of next chapter!**

 **"It's just like to plan ahead,"**

 **"I thought it was just an excuse to go see Ashido without telling Hana."**

 **"Why, one who knows he'll win of course."**

 **Get ready to rumblllllllle!**


	40. Chapter 40

"Why did I have to be right?" I said, hitting my hand against my face in disappointment.

"Todoroki should be fine though right?" Hana asked, sounding concerned. "Even if his scarf is made out of a tough material, all he'd have to do is burn or freeze it until it becomes brittle, right?"

Aizawa threw something on the ground. If I had to guess, they were some kind of caltrop. Meaning if Todoroki did get himself free, he'd have to watch impaling his food on the spikes.

"It's just like to plan ahead," Midoriya stated. "He knows all too well how easy Todoroki could free himself. No doubt he's already thought of multiple scenarios Yaoyorozu and Todoroki could put him through."

"That's right." Uraraka agreed. "I don't think any of us could beat Mr. Aizawa. He knows just about everything about our Quirks."

"Especially mine," I admitted.

"No doubt you'd probably be able to win against him though Mason," Midoriya said, which shocked me.

"What makes you think that?" I asked.

He scratched the back of his head, was he nervous? "W-well he is your Uncle, and you did say he trained you. So, in theory, wouldn't you know the best way to fight him?"

I nodded. "Yeah, you got me there." Aizawa ran off, after putting some eyedrops in his eyes. Meanwhile, Yaoyorozu seemed to be high-tailing it for the exit gate. "It'd be close, but I'd still lose to him."

It didn't take long for Uncle Aizawa to catch up to her. He shot out one of his scarves, wrapping around her arm and pulling her towards him. She then created something, allowing her to slip her arm out of the scrap and run in the opposite direction she had been.

Was she trying to fake him out, or was she lost?

She ended back at Todoroki, Aizawa closing in behind her as he ran on the powerlines like some sort of ninja. Yaoyorozu had to have been scared as she froze up, giving him enough time to jump down for the finishing blow.

It was revealed to be a trick as she threw the nesting dolls into the air, and the camera on them was filled with white.

"What happened!?" Uraraka shouted.

"Momo's Quirk allows her to create anything so long as knows the molecular makeup, remember?" I said with a smile growing on my face. "What she did was made the dolls, and hide flashbangs in them."

While Aizawa was stunned, she began to ease Todoroki down onto the ground. Both of them got into their own stances, as Aizawa took off his goggles and rubbed his eyes from the bright light burning his eyes.

He struck out with his scarf again, forcing them to jump back and avoid it. Todoroki threw out his left, nothing coming out like his facial expression wanted him to. They ran away, which was a good choice considering Aizawa had erased Todoroki's Quirk.

Aizawa went to attack again, only for Todoroki to turn around and shoot out a giant wall of ice, the same move he had used against Sero in the Sport's Festival. It seemed to have cut off quite a good bit of the town as well, making it perfect for cover and as a distraction.

While Aizawa waited on one of the rooftops, Yaoyorozu opened up her vest, creating what was possibly a scarf like Aizawa's. It surprised me she even researched what exactly it was made of.

Had to be awkward for Todoroki though, considering she was exposing her chest in order to make the amount of scarf she needed. Good decision considering her Quirk, but not something most would be able to do.

"Do you think they'll win?" Hana asked me, tapping me on the shoulder.

I took a second before responding to her. "If they do this right, they will. Seems they got their bearings now on to fight him."

"How come Mr. Aizawa isn't going after them?" Uraraka asked, bringing up a good point.

"He might have overused his eyes." Midoriya brought up.

"Yeah, ever since the USJ he has a 'waiting time' if you will," I explained. "Unlike before his injuries, if he blinked all he'd have to do is activate his Quirk for a continuous lock down on someone's power. Now he has a period where he has to wait before he can activate it after blinking. Then again, why _should_ he move?"

"Huh?" Midoriya said, looking back at the screen to see what I meant. "You're right, he's got the exit to his back."

"So all he has to do is wait for _their_ move." Hana pointed out.

Behind the ice wall, they had put the scarf into a small catapult. I honestly had no idea what they were planning, but considering both of them were top of our class, it had to be one hell of a plan.

Yaoyorozu created two black sheets and an upper body mannequin. They threw the sheets on top of themselves, towing the catapult with them as they ran. Aizawa sprung at them, using his scarf to grab their upper bodies, and pulled, revealing only Todoroki had been caught as Yaoyorozu got down low to fire the catapult.

Aizawa jumped back as it was shot at him, Todoroki shooting his flames while the sheet was still covering him. However it wasn't aimed at Aizawa, but the scarf shot from the catapult.

Upon contact the scarf began to solidify, becoming metal and tightening around and restraining him.

They had won.

Out of the most powerful teachers in this exam, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu had managed to beat one of them.

"They passed!" Midoriya, Uraraka, and Hana all shouted, rejoicing in the two's victory. I smiled but didn't cheer.

I was probably one of the few that knew the two hadn't passed because of how had they tried, but because Aizawa wanted them to. Seems Uncle Aizawa was more of a softie than he liked to admit.

"My my turns out that man is a big softie after all." Recovery Girl said with a smug smile on her face.

"You don't know half of it," I said to her, both of us chuckling a small bit.

"Team Yaoyorozu and Todoroki have passed the final exam!" The speaker said, much to our joy.

* * *

Until Uraraka realized her match was next. She had run out of the room to find Aoyama, leaving me, Midoriya, and Hana in the room while Recovery Girl went to check on Aizawa, Todoroki, and Yaoyorozu.

"Speaking of Hana, when is our match?" I asked, forgetting when it was.

She laughed a bit before answering. "You forgot? She said, before changing her tone. "We're up against your own father how do you forget something like that rock-for-brains!?"

"Well _excuuuuse_ me for being worried about my own teammates!" I shouted back, gritting my teeth as we pressed our foreheads aggressively like were some sort of bulls.

"Worried? WORRIED!? YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO FAIL!" She pointed out, still shouting.

"Well, they didn't so what you got to say to that!? Now I'm gonna go get some water!" I shouted, heading out the door to find the vending machine, hearing Hana laugh as went down the hall. Good thing she found that argument as funny as I did.

Tsuyu was walking down the hall as well, waving.

"Hey Tsu!" I said, putting my hand up for a high-five. She hit my hand with her own, smiling. "Good job on passing."

"Thanks!" She said, smiling. "The teachers are no joke though. I'm afraid to think what they would be like without those weights."

"That is something I think we _shouldn't_ think about," I remarked.

"So what are you doing Mason?" The frog girl asked me.

"Just getting some water. Watching you guys do all these heroics is making me thirsty."

"I thought it was just an excuse to go see Ashido without telling Hana." Tsuyu said catching me quite off guard if I'm being quite honest. That was embarrassing.

"What? Did I say that? No! Not at all!" I said, nervously laughing.

"You're bad at acting." She remarked.

"That was the point," I said, dropping the act of trying to be funny. "Okay Tsuyu, since it's so obvious, do you know if Ashido by chance ya know..." I stopped and prepared myself to say it. "Likes me?"

"Not a clue." She said, which made me hang my head low. I was hoping if anyone had an idea, it'd be Tsuyu. She was good friends with her after all. "That is she does enjoy talking with you, kero." She put up her left index finger. "Anytime I bring you up, she talks about how cool and nice you are. She even talked about that time you helped her look at some nearby agencies for her internship and how grateful she was."

"So you're saying I got chance?" I asked, to which she smiled.

"Possibly."

My jaw dropped. For once the girl who was always blunt wasn't so blunt. Feeling a little bit happy I walked down the hall, continuing to go get a water.

"By the way, thanks, Tsuyu."

"Anytime Mason." She responded, before going towards the observation room.

Despite our conversation and where it led, I actually did go to get a bottle of water. It felt refreshing for my throat after watching what had to bee an hour-and-a-half or people duking it out against one another.

Tsuyu had cornered me, but if I felt anyone should no, it should my crush's friend, right? I wasn't the type to lie their way out of a situation. If she had asked if my dad was a villain, it would have been the same result- I would've confirmed, and gone from there.

Yet my heart did ache every time I thought about it. More and more often, I'd go over the scenario in my head of asking Ashido out. What to initially say, whether or not to ask out of the blue, stuff like that.

Even though I had the idea, I couldn't bring myself to. Either I was afraid of the rejection, or the fact I was still unsure of how she felt about me.

 _"A girl doesn't just let a guy call her at night unless they're_ really _good friends."_

 _"What do you think of me as a person?"_

I let out a sound of frustration as I slumped against the wall. I shook my head and took another drink of water.

" _I shouldn't be thinking about this right_ _now."_ I thought to myself.

After Uraraka and Aoyama's match, it was going to be me and Hana versus my dad. I should've been planning instead of slumped by the vending machine, worrying about how to ask Ashido out. No doubt she wasn't worried about anything other than how she and Denki were gonna beat the principal of our own school, not whether _I_ liked her or not.

What I needed to be doing was focus on passing this test. Afterward, I could worry all I damn wanted to. I got up and headed back to the observation room, grabbing another drink of water.

Once I got back Tsuyu was in the room with Hana, Midoriya, and Recovery Girl. It seemed things were coming to a close, Thirteen advancing toward Uraraka and Aoyama with his black hole Quirk active.

Both were holding onto a railing until Uraraka let go, Thirteen stopping the use of his Quirk in order to not kill her. Uraraka then punched at Thirteen and then grabbed his arm to restrain him. Aoyama let go, using his laser to propel himself over and restrain Thirteen's other arm as she cuffed him, winning the match.

Hana let out a loud sigh of relief. "That was way too stressful..."

"Uraraka's judgment was great!" Midoriya cheered, a big smile on his face. "I never thought she would have used her opponent's power against them to get in close."

"I don't know... It looked like Uraraka had let go because she lost focus for a minute." Tsuyu said.

"Oh, really?"

Tsuyu nodded at Midoriya's question. "Uh huh. The two of them were talking. I wonder what Aoyama said that shocked her so much."

"Who knows. It's too bad we can't hear their conversations-"

Just as Midoriya said that the doors opened. I turned to see Yaoyorozu and Iida walking in, both looking a bit refreshed despite their hard battles.

It was then I remembered. "Hana, we gotta get going now."

"Right, we're up next." She said, laughing. "See you guys when we're done!"

"Do your best guys!" Midoriya cheered, waving his hand.

"You know I will!" I said back, laughing at myself for being so cocky.

I knew that cockiness wasn't gonna cut it for our opponent though, not by a long shot.

* * *

About five minutes later we found ourselves placed in the arena for our Final Exam. the area reminded me of an old war zone, with wrecked buildings and torn up sidewalks. Everything about it seemed to scream "disaster area".

Hana took out her sword, inspecting it as we waited for the match to start.

"So," She said. "Do you think we can pass?"

"No clue," I answered. "He's got the same Quirk, but way more experience and time to train it. Considering the environment looks like it's gonna me and him having a good game of skipping stones."

"Well, that's one way of sugar-coating it." She said with a smile, before putting her blade back in the sheath at her back. "Unless he gets in close I'll give you support. I can make a barrier for each of us with a good amount of durability. that way you can keep at bay with ranged while we make our way-"

"Not a good idea," I said, cutting her off. "That's a really bad idea in fact. He doesn't have a range like I do. Any stone, concrete, dirt, sand- He sees it, he can move it." I explained, trying to convey how dangerous my dad truly was.

She nodded. "Okay, so what do we do?"

The alarm sounded, followed by the speaker's voice. "Final Exam Mason Ishi and Hanakabe Kennagasa. Ready, go!"

With that, we began making our way to the exit. As we ran I talked to Hana about our plan.

"First, we should stick to whatever alleys we find as much as possible. Knowing my dad, he'll find a spot where he can see us clearly and still stick by the gate."

"Got it. When should I use my Quirk?" She asked me, both of us sticking to a wall as I checked the street around the corner.

"If you feel like something is up, or if I say so," I replied. "It's all clear, let's go."

We ran across the street, heading into another back street. Overall my plan was to rely on my dad being high up. We weren't in any danger right now, but as we got closer I knew the anxiety of us being caught would rise. Same with the closer the exit was in sight, the gutsier we'd become.

And that would be exactly what my dad would want. He'd trap us like rats, and once I got free using my Quirk to turn the concrete in clay or sand, he'd face me in close-combat. Something I'd prefer not to deal with right now.

About five minutes had passed now, leaving only twenty-five more to complete the test. Those five would buy us time to position ourselves, and for me to gather some weapons.

It seemed to be going our way until we entered an empty area of the city, about three, maybe five miles from the exit. I was cautious as I observed the coverless route to head into the next area of close-knit buildings.

"Should we try and run for it?" Hana asked, taking out her sword, holding it by her side.

"I'm not sure," I answered, whispering. "This is the only route that leads us to the exit. Otherwise, we'd be just making it with the time limit we have."

"Then I'll shield us," Hana offered. "We just have to make it across this intersection, right? These buildings are way too small for your dad to have a height advantage, even so, if he tries attacking we'll be safe and head for the exit. Does that plan sound good?" She asked me, waiting for my answer.

Despite the feelings in my gut, I knew this dead air was necessary to cross. I nodded, to which I then saw us encased in a cube of purple energy, which then turned as clear as the air itself. Hana sheathed her sword, putting her arms out.

I gave her a confused look. "It's so that way I can move the barrier as we run. Otherwise, a well-placed attack and this barrier would break."

"Got it," I answered, giving a thumbs up. "Ready to run?"

"Yes."

"Okay, one, two, and... THREE!"

We left the corner, sprinting for our lives. I hoped with each footstep we wouldn't get caught, the next piece of cover just a few feet away. Hope was there for a single second before I felt my instincts kick in as two soft "pings" hit the ground within twenty feet of me.

I slowly turned, to see him standing there, holding a stone spear over three times his size, fifteen other smaller ones fanned around him like peacocks feathers. The sun hitting his blonde hair like a blazing, spiky crown, and the brown colored aviator jacket a shade lighter than the stone spears and broken sidewalks around us.

I and Hana both stopped, and I could feel the barrier come down as Hana's sword made the sound of being drawn out from its sheath. The wind picked up, blowing the sand away from us towards my father coiling around him like a snake.

No, it _was_ a snake. Made completely out of the sand around him, like some sort of faithful guardian. At this point, my dad knew he was showing off, as a smile came across his face and he spun the spear in his right hand above his own head playfully.

"Gotta say, old furball definitely knew what he was doing when he asked me to be a proctor for this thing. Didn't know I'd be set up against you, son." He said, slamming the ground with the spear. "No hard feelings, right?"

I put my fist and pulled up the mask to over my mouth. "Nope. Just know I won't go easy on you because you're my dad though. I kinda need to pass this test." I said, laughing a bit.

"Good." My dad replied, smiling. "Same with you Hanakabe?"

She nodded. "What kinda villain takes time to talk to his victims?"

That's when I felt a shift in the atmosphere. A switch had been flipped, one my dad was taking advantage of having turned one. "Why, one who knows he'll win of course."

With that, he then pointed the spear at us, the other fifteen shooting right at us.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that's a way to start off their exam! Felt really good writing this one, especially since this is kinda how I planned on the fight going. Nothing scarier than the enemy using a plan you didn't think of.**

 **D3lph0xL0v3r: You'll find out Jishin's reason soon. And by that maybe a good few chapters.**

 **pokemonking0924: Thanks man, kinda took me a while to think of how each character might talk to each other, especially when observing other during the exam. That and Mason's "reveal" is kinda a big stepping stone to come for him. He's going to have to tell them someday, right? And I'll make sure to check out your story dude and give my thoughts.**

 **IrishKatana: I do have plans for a pairing for Hanakabe, just need to fine-tune some stuff for when they're revealed. Same for Pixiebob. She was sort of an influence on Mason's character when looking for what Quirks characters had. Had a bit of a "Crap, someone already has that power!" moment, but I made it work. I got a good bit of this story planned out.**

 **Now for next chapter's preview!**

 **"Jesus kid, why'd you have to hit me in the gut like that?"**

 **"A bet?"**

 **"You okay Mason?"**

 **"It's Kuzan."**

 **Get ready for next chapter! The fight between father and son now begins!**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: I just want to say thank you all who've been with me and this story for the past year. It has been one year since I wrote the first chapter of this story, and I have to say it's been both hard, fun, and a great time with you all. Not to mention, my birthday. So enjoy this chapter everyone and happy one year anniversary!**

 **To many more!**

* * *

I threw up my hands, sliding over to Hana as the spears disintegrated into sand. Seeing they had entered my twenty-foot range, they had been under _my_ control for the moment.

Then again, it was only a temporary measure I could take. There was nothing to stop my dad from trying to pull the sand back in, or even use the concrete from the nearby ruined sidewalks and buildings. All he'd have to do is be forceful enough with his own Earth Manipulation to take it back over.

He wasted no time as he ran forward with the fifteen-foot long stone staff, spinning it around like an extra limb. While I created my own, Hana charged forward with her sword.

My dad struck forward, changing it to sand as her blade cut into it. He turned it back to stone, and with a twist pulled it right out of her hand without any struggle.

This was able to draw his attention as I got behind him, and swung the now hammer into his side, making him stumble to the side, having lost his balance. Hana grabbed her sword and ran in the direction of the gate.

 _Hopefully, she can get there before my dad decides to step it up from boredom._ I thought as I swung downwards, my dad creating another staff, using it to block my attack.

He pushed up and jabbed forwards. I dodged to the side, spinning my staff in my left before lowering my hand's position on it and swung, using it like a makeshift sword. Once it connected I continued to attack, spinning the staff around striking left and right to wear my dad down and keep his focus on me while Hana ran to the exit. He might have taught me the same style of combat, but what mattered was my own twist on how to fight.

Along with buying Hana time.

With another jab forward I loosened my grip and forced the staff to shoot forward before I grabbed it to stop it from flying out my hands. My dad let out a cough, looking at me proudly.

"Jesus kid, why'd you have to hit me in the gut like that?" He said before he did a downward feint, and doing the same move to my right shoulder, knocking me a few feet and onto my ass, along with making me drop my weapon. "Now _that_ is how you do a Piston Shot. Aim for the limbs, not something solid like their gut or chest. Joints are even more vulnerable."

He ran forward, not leaving me much time to think. All I could do was a roll to the side, and shoot a few somewhat compact balls of sand at him.

With a low drop and slide, he dodged them, but I was able to get back on my feet to run and do my own drop and slide towards him, landing a punch square in his face. My dad dropped onto his back, letting an audible breath of pain.

"Aaaahhhh...!" He let out, using his staff to support him as he stood back up. "Time to switch it up now. Our Quirks aren't meant for _just_ close-combat."

With a drop of his staff and a slam of his fist together, the sand began to swirl around us, before becoming a full-on sand-tornado with us at the center. Suddenly a fissure of stone began to head straight for me at full speed.

I stomped down with my right foot forward and punched with my left, open palmed. A stone wall rose up, taking the blow and crumbling apart around me as it blew apart from the fissure's force. I felt pain in my legs and arms as I felt something hard hit them and fall off me. No doubt it was some blast of sand from my dad.

Normally they'd have instantly turned to stone once they hit me. Due to us having the same Quirk, however, all it would take is a single thought and they'd fall off and turn into powder.

No rest was given however to look around as a firmly placed kick hit my back, making me land face-first on the ground.

I quickly tried to get onto my back to at least kick him away, but that was met by a stone staff being placed by my head as I turned around. Along with a smug smile on my dad's face.

"Now ya see, you need to remember elemental types can make an attack be not just a means of fending off their opponent, but also a distraction. A wall might give you assurance from the front, but it also blocks your vision from that same direction. Kinda sad you aren't trying harder. This zone is perfect for you to let loose for once, instead of staying to that 'twenty-feet'. Just let it flow like water kiddo."

"Okay," I said, suddenly making the eye of the sandstorm close in on us, limiting both of our vision. "You said it, not me."

With a quick jump back up to my feet I turned around and ran past my dad, hoping to confuse him. He'd probably think I ran away from him when I'd actually be right behind him instead. My dad might've been surprised at the sudden move at first, but it wouldn't take him long to reign it back in and control the sandstorm he made.

Soon as I was about fifteen feet behind him, the sandstorm stopped.

"Nice try. But you'll need to be a bit smarter with your fake-outs." He chastised. I turned around to see him waving his finger back and forth.

"Can't blame me for trying," I said with a smile, putting my arms behind my head. "So dad, you probably planned for me to face off against you while Hana ran, right?"

He nodded. "Of course. Put high walls around the exit gate. She can't make platforms, yet. Made them thick as well so she couldn't cut them with that sword of hers. All you two have for an option is to either capture me or lose. And you definitely aren't going to go with the latter without a fight." He explained, creating another staff out of stone. "So how about we have a bet?"

"A bet?" I asked, wondering what he was going for.

"You heard me. Manage to get five hits on me," He held up his left hand. "And I'll let you capture me with no resistance at all. Automatic pass."

"Five hits, that's all," I said to my dad, surprised he was even doing something like this. I had landed at least twelve or fifteen on him already.

"Don't think that it'll be like before. I was gauging to see how much power you were going to use against me so I could respond in kind. I won't use my full attack power, but I will use my full _defensive_ power. Got it?"

"Got it," I responded. "I can fight in whatever way I want?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

With that I smashed the ground, sending four stone fissures racing at my dad. He hit his staff against the ground, sending four more into them. The ground exploded into rocks and sand, and both of us locked eyes as I ran at him.

Both my arms became covered in stone, and I began to punch, aiming for anything sticking out. Legs, arms, shoulders, feet, he said I had to hit him five times. Just not _where_ I had to hit.

I jabbed at his stomach with my right, only to be blocked by a stone shield. It shot forward and pushed back before he turned it back into a staff and jabbed forward once again. I brought in my left hand, grabbing it, and crushing it into powder. After that was done I brought down my right hand for a chop, fainting, and then into a punch that landed directly on a stone shield he quickly raised as he jumped back to get some distance from me.

"Bit too close there... I see you're using your Quirk to move your limbs faster, now that they're covered in stone." He remarked, reforming the shield that had been broken in half, previously having been reduced to the size of a volleyball after my blow landed.

Wasting no time I continued to attack, only relying on the stone gauntlets I made. So long as it was a construct that was directly in my range, I had more control over it than my dad did with his power. Not to mention, all he was using was his full defensive power.

Taking that into account all I could do was pull a surprise here or there. There were probably ten or fifteen minutes left of the exam. Hana was smart, and as long as I bought her time, she'd be able to think of a plan to win.

I wasn't smart like Midoriya, Iida, Todoroki, not even close to Yaoyorozu's level of intelligence. All I knew was how to be street smart, being as efficient as possible without needing to overuse my power. But after my fight at the Sport's Festival against Bakugo, and the training with Iceberg, all I had been reminded of was that stubborn mindset.

I wasn't scared of using too much force.

I was scared of going beyond.

Too much did I hope my opponent would slip up or be weaker than me. Just an easy sand-trap, turning the ground into sand and back into concrete in an instant in order to restrain them. Dirty tricks that would always catch people off-guard if they weren't watching themselves.

I was done with that. What I needed to do was rely more on the power I was born with. Not be afraid of what I could do, but embrace the possibilities of what I could do. It was my power, so why not use it like I was meant to!?

This Exam was going to be just that for me.

With another punch my dad threw up another wall, summoning two stone staves that he manipulated without needing to move. It was like fighting two people with how fast and accurate they were.

I grabbed one, and changed it into a spear, throwing at the stone wall my dad had hidden behind. It embedded itself in the stone, making my dad gasp loudly in shock from behind it.

My left hand grabbed the other one, turning it into sand along with my gauntlets and into a spear. I gathered more before I had a giant size spear floating beside me roughly the length of a school bus, the head the size of a fire hydrant. It was too big for me to actually hold, but that didn't mean I couldn't throw it with the same amount of power.

With my right foot forward I brought my right arm back, acting like I was about to throw a spear. I connected my Earth Manipulation with the spear, and as I brought my arm forward, the giant spear fired like a ballista bolt. I made sure to miss though, otherwise, my dad wouldn't be surviving that surprise attack.

He jumped out of the way, five stone shields appearing and floating around him as he crouched low. His eyes were full of shock as he looked to me, and then the giant spear I had made.

I didn't bother leaving him any time to realize what I had done as I threw my hands forward, shooting a rain of sand-shots at him mercilessly. Each one either hit a shield or was stopped by him swiping his hand in front of him, cutting them apart and shooting the projectile as one of his own.

For once it felt like I was free. With my dad in sight, I closed my fist in his direction, the sand and concrete becoming a solid fist that had successfully caught him.

"That's one." He said, before it crumbled apart around him, and using the rubble as more ammo, this time shooting staves at me instead of the balls of sand.

With my own swipe of my right hand in front of me, I turned them back into sand, and then into a platform for me to stand on, along with some on my claves for armor. Once I was on it I began to control it, flying over to my dad and jumping off, landing a kick on a shield that flew to protect his back. It crumbled away as I landed the hit, followed by a second kick that made him fall onto one knee as he shot a well-sized sand-shot at me.

 _Three._

Was this what it felt like, using my Quirk to its fullest potential as it was supposed to be? Making platforms to fly on, turning the ground itself into a weapon larger than most motor-vehicles? If so, what had I been missing out for so long?

My short-lived joy was interrupted as my dad grabbed me by the ankle, and tossed me like a bean-bag away from him. I looked up to see a giant boulder being created and then thrown at me like it was nothing for my dad.

I put up my hand and thought- _Break_.

The boulder burst into pieces, to which my dad smiled like the devil had possessed him.

"That's right! Don't hold back kid. Just like water, the earth is another kind of flowing liquid. You got three hits on me, now finish it!"

"You said it," I said as I stood up, creating a staff for me to fight with. "Not me."

He created one in each of his hands and ran at me without even giving me a chance to breathe. Using my Quirk I focused on using it instead of using my hands to move the staff, allowing it to move in ways my wrist wasn't capable of. We were both surrounded by the constant breaking and reforming of our stone staves, neither of us being hit even once. It was what some would call euphoric.

For once, I was being me.

For once, I was using my Quirk without feeling the need to limit myself or be told how similar I was to the villain called "Terrarizer".

"Hana now!" I shouted, tightening the grip on my staff to change the spin to a jab into my dad's stomach. He attempted to back up, only to stop, realizing he couldn't.

 _Thanks for waiting so long Hana._ I thought to myself.

At the last moment, I loosened my grip, going for a Piston Shot to my dad's sternum. He let out a wheezing cough as the air left him, but sadly I didn't leave him a chance to recover as Hana's barrier disappeared.

Fast as I could I ran behind my dad, spinning my staff to generate enough force before going in for a final swing. I spun around and stabbed forward with the blunt end, using my own force along with the geokinesis of my Quirk, landing a strong thunderous hit to my dad's back, widening the end to make it like a one-ended q-tip.

"That's five, dad," I said as Hana dropped down from the building we had been fighting near for the past who knows how long.

"This means we won, right Mason? We won?!" She asked, looking at me for an answer.

"Correct. You kids win." My dad said, getting back up, coughing a bit before clearing his throat. "As I said, if you managed to get five hits on me I'd go peacefully, now, can't believe I'm saying this again- cuff me."

I looked at Hana, offering for her to do the honors. "You should do it. You came up with this plan after all." I admitted.

She took the cuffs and put them on my dad. The announcer sounded, and she brought me into a tight hug. "I might have made the plan, but we both had a part to play. You were AMAZING!" She shouted, squealing about how we were going to be going to the Training Camp with everyone.

My dad let out a loud laugh, smiling like he had earlier. "Congrats kid. On passing, and letting your powers loose. I'm proud of ya."

All I could do was smile, and close my eyes in order to stop the tears from coming out. I didn't like to get emotional on camera, nevermind in front of my friends. "Thanks, dad."

* * *

After the match, me and Hana made it our mission to get some water. Who knew that serious planning, not to mention only using your mind to control stone could be so dehydrating? If anything I thought I'd have a splitting headache, not be thirsty.

I took a deep drink from the bottle of water, emptying it in seconds.

"You okay Mason?" Hana asked me.

"Just thirsty," I told her.

"Me too. I'm exhausted after all that, and I didn't even do anything..." She said, slouching in her chair.

"You did plenty," I pointed out. "If not for your plan and making it look like you were heading for the exit, I never would've gotten my dad to let down his guard."

"Well there's that, but I meant how strong you guys are," She looked at me with wide eyes. "You guys are t-terrifying."

"Yeah," I admitted. "I kinda let loose a bit more than I wanted to. If it was one of the other teachers I might have restrained myself. But it was my dad, and you saw it too. He was goading me on to use my Quirk like I'm supposed to."

"He seems really proud of you. It's weird how such a guy could be called a villain when he cheers you on like that."

"About that," I began. "When do you think I should tell everyone about it?" I asked her.

She stood up straight and shook her head. "I don't know. It's up to you to tell everyone. I only figured out because of Chikara. Even then, I was less mad at that and more of him saying something so out there just to make lose focus on fighting. My thought process was that no way could someone so nice, and helpful be the son of someone like that." She said, smiling before she looked at me, putting her hands up in defense. "No offense! It wasn't u-until l-later that-!"

"Don't worry about it!" I smiled. "I understand. I probably would've acted the same way. We're past it anyways. It's just..." I tightened my fist around the water bottle. "I don't want to play the long con," I admitted. "I want to tell everyone, but which is better? Letting them find out one day, and having them ask why I kept it secret? Or telling them and facing them differently when they see I'm not exactly who they thought I was?"

"Midoriya..." She stopped for a moment before speaking again. "Midoriya told me once that if you have a problem, you should face it with everything you got. You won't know how it will turn out until we face it and solve it yourself." She gave me a smile. "So tell them when you're ready. Even if they look at you with spiteful eyes, or distance themselves from you, I'll be right here with you." She said before getting up. "I'll see you in the observation room!"

With that, I was left alone in the room. I sat there for a few minutes before getting up to put the bottle of water in the recycling bin and heading to the observation room.

Well, that was the plan until my dad came out of the room without the mask he had been wearing, beckoning me to follow.

"Son, come with me." He said, sounding uneasy.

Without a second thought, I followed him, worried. "What's wrong? Is it mom?"

"No," He said. "It's Kuzan. He got attacked and is at the hospital. Your mom is meeting us here, and we're gonna be driving there to pick up Choryu."

"Mr. Iceberg?!" I said, shocked. It was only a week ago I had been with him at his agency. He had been teaching me to fight, helping me train, even the lunches of rice and sweet-and-sour chicken in his office were still fresh in my mind. "He was attacked? Who-"

"Later, son," My dad said. For that moment I could almost hear the shakiness in his voice. "I don't know the specifics either, no one does. It was just a simple patrol, and now we just need to get there. Jesus..." My dad let out. Just like me, we could try to keep our emotions in, but in the end, we were easy to read once you got to know us.

* * *

 **A/N: Phew, that uh, yeah. That took a turn. So these next two chapters will feature some characters we haven't seen in a while. Also, Choryu will be back in the picture, for quite a while. Not much to say on the chapter than oh my god that fight took me a month to get to my liking, from the action to Mason's monologues as everything was going on. To the reviews now.**

 **D3lph0XL0v3r: Glad you're liking Jishin. I aimed to make him more complex than just the staple "Villain father".**

 **Now, for next chapter's preview!**

 **"I'm here, how is he?"**

 **"Come on you still remember that?"**

 **"He always like this?"**


	42. Chapter 42

"We're here." My dad said, stopping the car in front of the hospital.

The ride had taken us longer than we had liked since we had to change into clothes more suited to the public. After asking for what floor Mr. Iceberg was on we headed up using the stairs. My dad had a bit of a paranoia with elevators.

My mom had headed here ahead of us. Even if some of the sidekicks from the agency were here, it was Kuzan. From how both my mom dad had jumped at the moment they heard about this, he must have been extremely close like Uncle Aizawa was to us.

"Thank god you're here." I heard my mom say, walking over to us in her work clothes. She was a secretary, and of course did her sculptures on her off time. Right now though, she looked to be a mess with her hair down.

"I'm here, how is he?" Dad asked.

My mom gave me a look and then looked back at my dad. "He's got burns, one gunshot wound, and a lot of slash and puncture wounds. All of which have the burns around them. They put him on some stuff to make him sleep like a bear in the middle of hibernation." She explained.

"I see." My dad said, understanding we couldn't go in and see him yet.

"So, how did Finals go, Mason?" She asked me.

"Well, we beat dad, if that's anything. Pretty sure I'm good except in quadratics." I said, trying to smile despite wanting to see Iceberg. Even if I only just met him, he was still one of the best teachers I've had. And it was because of that I felt an attachment to him.

"Honey, did you go easy on him?" My mom asked, giving my dad "the look".

"I would never!" My dad said, chuckling before admitting it. "He caught me off-guard. We should talk about the Finals later. Nezu was able to let me off early and have me dismiss Mason. Where's Choryu, Megane..."

"Right now Choryu is... It's hard. Losing her mother, that man who tried to kidnap her, now this... The girl's going through so much, and for what?"

Dad sighed. "I don't know. All I do know is whoever did this to my buddy, is going to be six-feet under when I find them."

"Jishin!" My mom said, hitting my dad on the arm.

"What do you expect me to do!? The guy has done nothing except fulfilling his dream, married a beautiful woman who died before she could get to see her child grow up, and raise a kid who's going to be one hell of a Hero. Whoever did this to my best friend, _deserves_ what's coming to 'em." My dad said angrily, his face red.

"I'll go check on Choryu," I said. "Where is she?"

"Over by the benches outside room 224. Along with some short guy with black hair."

"Thanks, mom."

I headed over to where she said, and Choryu was right there, along with Diamante, and some guy with eagles wings sprouting from his back. It was bittersweet to see them again considering the circumstances.

Diamante looked up as I walked over, a small smile on her face. "Hey, look who it is." She said to Choryu, who was currently burying her head in Diamante's shoulder.

Fast as she could she got up and ran over to me, almost making me fall over as she squeezed me tightly. At first, I wasn't sure what to do until the eagle guy made a motion with his hand as if to say "go on, do it".

Hugging her back felt like the only natural thing to do. It wasn't long like when I had saved her. If anything it was more one of those "good to see you hugs". Choryu stepped back, her eyes red and puffy, along with the scales more pronounced around her cheeks and forehead.

"Mason-"

"It's okay. You're not the only one... You know what I mean." I said. It felt so difficult to say what I wanted to. How do you say something like "You aren't the only one who's sad?" or something along those lines? I didn't have the right. Iceberg wasn't my dad, or even of relation. He was a teacher I only knew for a week. I didn't have the right to say something like that.

"Who's he?" The eagle guy asked, his voice a bit nasally.

"He's Mason Ishi. He was the intern who was in a few weeks ago." Diamante explained to him.

"Oh, he's the one who went with you guys to Hosu? Kid looks like he has some gruff to him. Definitely been in a few fights." He said, examining me with his eyes much like an eagle's.

"He's..." Choryu took a moment, clearing her throat. She had probably been crying for quite a while. "Mason is my friend. And I'm glad he's here."

We sat down and chatted for a while. She seemed to be happier than before I got here. We talked about what had happened since we last saw each other. Apparently, she had been making strides at her school.

Her friend who had been hit with a pipe was applying with her to U.A. next year, so she had someone on hand to help her with her costume. Which, from the pictures, I saw reminded me of a full-body wetsuit with some nice white and blue coloring to it for a striking appearance.

Both of us were so enthralled in conversation I hadn't noticed that Diamante and the other guy left. We were left alone with our devices it seemed. Seems I had been enough for the two to leave and Choryu to be emotionally okay.

Choryu was wearing a t-shirt under a grey hoodie, along with shorts. They had been here since last night after the attack happened. We only just got the call because my dad was on Iceberg's call list in case something happened to him.

My dad had kept his aviator vest on, the mask and goggles left in the car, along with my hero costume. All I had on was a spare zip-up hoodie and jeans.

 _God, I hate jeans._ I thought to myself. They were so stiff and didn't allow free movement whatsoever.

"Mason..." Choryu said, trying to get my attention. "The nurses haven't said anything to me. How... is dad doing?" She asked me.

"My mom said he has one gunshot wound and a lot of knife wounds. Stabs, and cuts. All of which have burns around them." I said, trying to remember everything my mom had said. "They put him on painkillers, so he must be fine."

"It's going to be a while before they let him out though, isn't it?"

"Yup," I replied. "But don't worry, your dad should be fine. No way would he come this far without knowing he'd make it out alive! He's a great Hero!"

"Yeah, he is." She smiled a small bit, but enough for me to smile as well.

 _Heh, score one for the good guys._

"So, what's gonna happen with you? No way you'll be able to live at your house by yourself." I pointed out.

"You're right. Dad said he has some people he'd trust though in case something did happen. He said to trust Megane, Jishin Ishi and his family, and also someone named Shota Aizawa."

"Well, two of those people I know." I cockily. "Well, technically three now..."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Jishin Ishi is my dad, and Shota Aizawa is my godfather backlash uncle."

"So does that mean-"

"Well, would you look who's here. Didn't think I'd see you here of all places, captain my captain." I heard a familiar silky voice say. Choryu made a growling sound. Was that jealousy?

Making her way down was Kami Togatta. Her blue hair was out and flowing, red eyes piercing as always. It seemed that contrast worked in her favor, she was breathtaking to look at.

"Hi, Kami. Is tomato bangs here or...?"

She snickered, covering her mouth with her hand. "No, he's probably at home still mulling over that pounding you gave him. I'm glad a gentleman like you was able to give me the treatment you did!" She said. To be honest, her attitude and praise were going to my head.

"Aww, thanks for the compliment! So, did you pass? I take it you're going on the field trip too?" I asked, Choryu seeming to try and burn a hole in Kami's forehead.

"Yes, we are. For once Chikara was actually not as annoying as usual. Now, who might this cute little lizard be?"

"I'm not a lizard!" Choryu said angrily. "I'm more like a shark, dragon... It's complicated!"

"Dragons are still lizards..." She pointed out, her hair forming into a hand, the index finger resting on her chin, a bit similar to how Tsuyu would.

"So why are you here? Did something happen to a family member of yours?" I asked. A little bit worried I'd have two girls to emotionally support.

Her hair-hand made a motion as if dismissing the idea. "No, not at all! My dad is a surgeon. He's actually taking care of a patient. A Pro Hero. Multiple cut wounds, burns, even a gunshot wound I think. The poor man must have been in quite the fight. One against many is so underhanded..."

"Your dad is the surgeon for mine!?" Choryu shouted, catching Kami off-guard.

"You poor girl..." Kami said, bringing her own hands to her mouth, her hair dropping down. She looked like she was about to cry. "You must be... I can't even imagine how you're feeling. I'll make sure my father sees your father has a speedy recovery. It's the least I could do for a friend of Mason's."

"Why the favor?" I asked.

She turned around and answered. "Because of you getting me to the tournament, I was able to get an internship with my idol. For that, I thank you, Mason Ishi. Both of you have a good day, and I hope my father can aid in your own father's recovery..." She stopped, realizing she didn't know Choryu's name.

"Choryu Fubuki." She said. "Thank you, and I hope to talk to you again. If you know Mason, then you must be a good person."

"Depends on who you ask," Kami said, winking before she went off to probably find her father.

 _Huh, guess some alliances aren't as short-lived as I thought._ I thought to myself, surprised by how nice Kami was compared to Chikara. Though she did seem to have a flirtatious attitude to her, it was only a way to get an easy feed on what kind of person someone was. A valuable skill for being a Hero when negotiating.

* * *

One hour and thirty minutes later, we were finally able to talk to Iceberg. He had called in me, Diamante, my dad, mom, and Choryu to talk with us.

As you would expect, he was hooked up just about everything. Heart monitor, IV drip, even one those things they'd put in your nose to get oxygen into your body easier. All of this, and he seemed just as responsive as ever.

"Damn hospitals... Hate having needles in me..." Iceberg said, letting out a laugh before coughing. "Ow..."

"Don't strain yourself, man. And jokes are my thing, not your's Icepack." My dad remarked.

"Come on you still remember that?"

"Sure do."

"Wasn't that the time he-" Mom began to say before she was cut off by Iceberg putting a finger up. "I know, not in front of your daughter."

That just wanted me to hear the story, even more, to be honest.

"Sir, why did you call us in?" Diamante asked, her voice shaky. Iceberg noticed this immediately.

"Kyokoha, at ease. You don't need to be strong in front of me, and you don't need to feel like there's a reason. You're one of my sidekicks, and deserve to know what shape your boss is in. How's Hayai doing?"

Diamante let out a deep breath, trying to smile. "He's doing his best. He won't admit it, but he feels guilty for not going with you on patrol." She said, that same shakiness as earlier coming back into her voice. "E-everyone is worried, you know? Just normal stuff whenever one of us gets hurt."

"Yeah dad," Choryu said, bringing her chair closer to Iceberg. "The guys won't show it, but they feel the same. They don't like it when none of them can help you."

"I know, kid," He said, putting his hand on Choryu's head, stroking it. "And I know you're worrying too. But no single little alley punk is going to stop your old man. I still got plenty of time to go."

All Choryu did, was put her head on the armrest for the hospital bed, and cry. Seems after finally getting to see Iceberg she couldn't keep the emotions in anymore. All the while Iceberg told her he'd be fine, and that was nothing was going to happen to him.

For someone in the condition he was, he was still as strong as ever. Diamante came over, trying to comfort her as Iceberg got himself a bit more comfortable. He then motioned for me to come over.

I walked over, trying to not let my emotions show too much. I needed to be strong for this.

"So, you pass that Final?" He asked me.

"Yeah. We're going to a training camp for the summer."

"Good job kid." He put his fist up. I bumped my fist against his. "You finally get over that limit of yours? If you did, ain't nothing going to stop you in life if you go Pro."

"I know, Mr. Iceberg. Your training has helped me a lot in the past few weeks." I said, trying to put on my best smile.

"Glad it has. Now, onto the actual business. The doctor says I won't be out of here for at least four months. Lots of tissue damage, muscles ripped... The guy got me good." He said. His statement was just as blunt as Tsuyu's. "Because of this... Jishin, Skylar... I want you to take care of Choryu for that time."

"What?" I shouted, covering my mouth. "Sorry..."

"Not saying we couldn't, but she'd have to change schools and-"

"I know," Iceberg said to my dad. "But with what's happened... USJ, Hosu, that guy who tried to kidnap her, now _this_." He took a deep breath, his heart rate going up in the monitor before he took a few seconds to calm down. "It's safer. I trust you, Aizawa, and Mason. Megane and Hayai are going to be busy with the agency. I'm asking as a friend, please... Take care of her. You wouldn't have a problem with that, would you Choryu?"

Choryu shook her head. "It'll take time, but... I can get through it, Dad. What about the house though?"

"The house will be fine with the savings I have," Iceberg explained. "Four months isn't going to be easy, but we'll both get through. Like we always have. Right?"

"Right." She said before we left the room to leave Choryu and Iceberg alone.

Meanwhile, I felt responsible to call Ashido and see how she did on the Final. Hopefully, she hadn't failed. After all, if she did talking about _that_ particular subject was going to come a lot sooner than I was hoping.

* * *

 _ **Jishin's POV**_

"You called me in?"

Kuzan nodded, hitting a button on the remote to elevate his upper body. "I'm sorry I have to make you do this. If I was a bit more careful we might not be in this situation right now."

I sat down, cracking my knuckles as I stretched. "Don't worry about it! Time wears down on us old guys sometimes."

"You got no room to talk, Jishin. For five years you didn't have a choice whether or not to keep your body in shape!" He laughed.

I smiled. "You got me on that one. Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"The man who attacked me, It was Saseru Bakuha."

The only sound in that room was the subtle crack appearing on the wall as I gritted my teeth together. So after five years, the slimy rat decided to show his face again. Even more, going after a friend of mine who had nothing to do with the robbery that happened.

"So that's how that little shit wants to play, huh?" I growled.

"Calm down. I know exactly what you're gonna down soon as you leave this room, and I'm going to tell you this right now. DON'T do it." Kuzan said defiantly.

"I'm smarter than ya think. I _just_ got on parole, albeit still feels the same as jail." I countered, getting up to seal the crack in the wall. "You do know what this means, right? No one's safe."

"You're right. Exactly why I'm having Choryu stay with you." He explained. "The guy that Mason captured at Hosu said he was paid to kidnap my daughter. Earlier that week, a fire had started in the office of my agency building. Most likely he feels going for anything related to me is enough to draw you out. However, it's safe to say he doesn't know you're out of prison."

"I doubt that. The damn rat had one hell of an information network. It's how he found out about my wife's condition and that I needed money, even what my Quirk can do. He _knows_ I'm out, and attacking you, Aizawa, Yamada... _A_ _nyone_ is enough to draw me out and kick his ass. After all, I'm the one who ruined his little heist." I said, turning my face back to Kuzan. "Just know if that damn rat lays a hand on your daughter or my son, or anyone else from the crew, I'm not gonna commit murder in order to protect an innocent. This time it's going to be murder for the sake of ending this once and for all. Not even All Might will be able to hold me back once I get my hands, on that damn Saseru." I stated, trying my best to hold my anger in, but I couldn't on this one.

It was because of him that I had to serve five years in prison for killing his lackey for getting trigger happy. That Mason had to fight his way through school just because I was his father. Even more, why that girl Hanakabe's mother had to die as the rat set off a bomb set in a nearby building, in order for us to get away.

Never did I want innocents to die. Hearing Saseru had been the one to hurt a friend of mine was enough for me. Something had to be done.

Even at that moment as I tried to calm down, I knew that damn rat was planning his next move, the next person close to me he was going to hurt.

* * *

 _ **At a certain bar...**_

Smoke left the man's mouth as he sat down, bare-chested and only wearing a pair of blue jeans, horribly ripped at the end. Safe to say the other two, well if he was being honest, _one_ man didn't approve of his attire.

Or even the fact he was here.

"What gives you the right to barge in here?" The grey-haired man said. From the sound of his voice, he had to have been at most seventeen. That or a really bad smoker. His face was covered by a single hand, not one of the weirdest things he had ever seen.

The other man, however, was definitely in that description. Wearing a bartended-esque outfit, made of nothing but black mist with glowing yellow eyes. Now _that_ , was definitely weird.

"Shigaraki, even if he appeared here quite unexpectedly and unceremoniously, I believe it's best to assume he's here to provide services." The mist-man said, his voice extremely deep.

"He should at least have some respect! I hate people who think they have the run of the place soon as they walk in the door. So arrogant...!" Shigaraki growled.

"He always like this?" The man asked, pointing at Shigaraki with his cigarette. "Not that I'm complaining! Just like to know the general personality of my employer."

"Not always. However lately that has been an exception if you will."

He nodded. "Got it. Just one of those days." With his right hand, he took the cigarette and put it in the ashtray, cracking his knuckles as he began to stretch. "Now for the business. You guys are the League of Villains, right? Being the straight man I am, I'll say why I'm here." With a smile, he got out of his chair, his body light up as orange marking appeared all over his body. "Name's Saseru Bakuha, and I," He said, taking a bow as if he was meeting with a king. "Would like to join your cause."

"And what exactly makes you think we'd let someone like you join?" Shigaraki asked, his nails scratching along the bar. "We aren't desperate."

"Two reasons. I'm one of the best bank robbers in all of Japan, and second, I only have one condition on being with you guys. Let me fulfill it, and I'll be with you guys thick and thin." Saseru proposed.

"What kind of-"

"Shigaraki!" The mist-man said, raising his voice, before narrowing his yellow eyes on the tattooed man. "What is this request?"

Saseru smiled, this time bigger and more menacing than the other, almost playful ones since he had arrived here. "To kill the man who ruined my perfect record. JISHIN ISHI! THE MAN WHO KILLED MY BROTHER!" He began to cackle.

* * *

 **A/N: Mmm a heavy feels chapter. The poor Fubuki family can't catch a break. In the name of development, however, it's necessary. We also get to see Kami again! I like having her dynamic with Mason being she comes off quite flirty, but it's only teasing. He ended up getting her to intern with her idol, Mr. Brave. Which he's a Hero not introduced in the anime yet, but to explain to anime-onlies he can harden his hair into weapons after pulling it out. So since Kami can harden her hair without having to take it out, she feels a sense of admiration since they have similar Quirks. Now enough with the sadness! Who's up for a trip to the mall? Cause I sure know Class 1-A is!**

 **61394: He did do a good job. Makes me as his creator proud.**

 **D3lph0xL0v3r: Huh, never realized in a way I did make Jishin an opposite to Endeavor. Glad to see I was able to get the impression off of him being a villain, but it was only because he had to do what he had to. We've yet to have a character with "my parent is a villain" trope, and as with Horikoshi's style, I decided to give the trope a bit of a twist.**

 **one step behind: Yeah, I tried to not make the fight long, especially since there's the constraint of having only fifteen minutes to complete the exam. Also, I can promise there are indeed some Mason X Ashido moments coming up, and the mall!**

 **Professor Writer: It has indeed been a while. Mason should be telling them soon, and as you can see, Kuzan is somewhat okay, not th best condition, but still better than what could've happened.**

 **pokemonking0924: Thanks for the compliments man and Kuzan might be out of the game for a while, but maybe not TOO long. Four months can go by real quick.**

 **Now for next chapter's preview!**

 **"Does he always rush like this?"**

 **"You're pulling this crap again!?"**

 **"Ashido, my dad was a Villain, and I'm his son."**

 **ENJOY THE CLIFFHANGER VIA CHAPTER PREVIEW!**


	43. Chapter 43

Depressed I hit the button on my alarm. I wasn't sad cause it sounded, or the fact I had to get up and head to school. High school life had actually been treating me kinder than I thought it would. Then again, that could just be because it was U.A. we're talking about.

When I called Ashido I had been hoping to hear that she and Kaminari had somehow passed. Sadly, that wasn't what had happened. Principal Nezu had been anything but kind to them in their fight.

Hana had texted me as well. Which led to an hour-long texting session between me and her as Choryu just asked me multiple questions about what train routes to take to get to her new school.

That and about my manga collection, and how they seemed to follow a pattern of either fantasy or well, superhero-based stories. I didn't have much to say other than at that moment I was an open book, which triggered a groan from her.

Getting out of bed I got into the morning clothes that I wore under my uniform. Unlike some, I couldn't stand wearing a uniform as my only form of clothing. Soon as I was off campus I headed to the closest store with a bathroom and changed right away.

Mom and Dad were both already up, eggs and bacon being cooked up while Choryu was in the bathroom, steam coming out of it. Even if there was another person leaving here, it didn't feel much different than usual with just the three of us.

"So, ready for another day of school son? Just a week until you're off to the training camp." Dad asked.

"That reminds me, we'll have to do some shopping won't we?" Mom said, letting out a loud yawn. Just like me, she wasn't a morning person. Watching her yawn made me yawn as well.

"Yeah, we're gonna have to do that this Sunday," I said. "Or you could just give me some money and I can do it myself. Be easier for you guys since I know what I'll need."

"More like Ashido and Hanakabe already planned something with you, didn't they?" My mom said with a smug smile on her face, handing me a plate of bacon and eggs.

"Actually no. Hana's dad, well... He's probably got everything covered for her. And Ashido failed the practical." I said glumly.

My mom pouted. "Aww, well at least Hana will be there, along with some of your other classmates. From what we saw at the Sport's Festival, and what your father has said, there isn't really anyone who dislikes each other in there."

 _If only Dad knew about Mineta's nature..._ I thought to myself.

"What's for breakfast?" Choryu asked, her black hair shiny and wet, and her scales seeming to be a bit bluer than usual.

"Eggs and bacon. We try to keep it simple for breakfast. Not too filling, and not too rationed out." My mom explained.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ishi," She said, bowing her head a little before eating.

"No need to thank me. The next four months you'll be treated as if you were a member of our own family! Now eat up, both of you got big things coming your way today. Also Choryu, I'll be driving you to the school to tour it and get you acquainted. As for you Mason- Wow you're already done." She said, surprised by how I had eaten it so quickly.

"Thanks for the food, Mom," I said as I backed up my chair and left to get my uniform and boots on. Seeing what time it was on the clock made me jump realizing I needed to get going.

"Does he always rush like this?" Choryu asked. I didn't hear the rest before I was out the door and making my way to the train station.

* * *

Compared to when I usually left for school, I actually made it to the station earlier than usual. Five minutes wasn't much, but still, plenty of time compared to the thirty-minute walk it was to get to the station. If not for having my provisional license, I'd have gotten to school _much_ sooner.

As I waited for the train for arrive I scrolled through the news, seeing that Iceberg's attack was right up there for top stories. The attacker was still unidentified, and they had kept out the injuries he had suffered.

His media team had to have been working their buts off in order to keep information like that secret. All that could be found, no matter where I checked, was that he was taking a "required break after a fight with an unidentified villain".

The train then arrived, and I scrambled to find a seat on the train so I could rest my legs. Having to run so far might have been a good exercise for them. Even then, I wouldn't be able to stand still in one place for so long, unlike some people who had a lot more muscle or comfortable shoes.

To sum up my way to school was uneventful. I had a feeling however once I entered the class, it'd be the complete opposite. A good few people knew that Iceberg had been the hero I interned with, so they'd have questions about it.

Walking in all I saw was Ashido slouched in her chair, Hana comforting her. She was really taking failing the practical hard, which I couldn't blame her for. I probably would too. Her, Kirishima, Sato, and Kaminari would all be stuck in, as Aizawa had called it, "Summer School Hell".

"Mason!" Ashido cried out, looking over at the sound of me closing the door.

"She okay?" I asked Hana.

"Ashido was really looking forward to going on the trip, same with the other guys. They aren't doing much better..." She explained.

"And I'm freaking out over here if I even count as passing!" Sero said, gripping his hair with both of his hands.

"Why's that?"

"Gah! Me and Mineta were up against Midnight and she put me to sleep while I got him a safe distance away because he didn't have a mask on like I did!" He explained to me. "I was asleep through the whole thing, so I probably won't be able to go because technically I didn't make through the gate on my own! Ugh, I'm stressed out man!"

"Don't worry, you guys should be able to go, right?!" Midoriya said, making his way over. "You might have failed the practical, but I'm sure the written balanced it out somehow!"

I put my hand on his shoulder, shaking my head. "If there's one thing I know, Uncle Shota isn't to go easy on this one. If he was he would've put us up against robots instead of the teachers. It's sad, but they won't be going..."

"Everyone- I'm looking forward to hearing- of how fun- camp was!" Ashido sobbed, trying to not let the waterworks flow too much. Hana, trying her best to comfort her as I offered her some tissues that she took as if it was second nature.

"Maybe they'll let you go! There _has_ to be a last-minute twist or something!" Midoriya said, only making Kirishima, Sato, and Kirishima sulk even more.

"Stop, Midoriya. By saying that out loud you're just jinxing them..." Sero said.

Kaminari was even more in despair so as he spoke. "Mr. Aizawa said we'd have to skip the training camp and live in summer school hell... We didn't pass the practical so we're doomed. Don't you get it Midoriya?! Did All Might knock all the brains out of ya!?" Kaminari said as he poked Midoriya in the eyes with both his middle and index fingers.

I'm not gonna lie, even my own eyes hurt hearing his pained screams.

"Ease up Kaminari!" Sero said, pulling Midoriya away from the enraged blonde. "I'm not sure I'll get to go either. Our team only passed thanks to Mineta, since I got knocked out. And we don't know how they're scoring it I might've flunked."

"At least bring us back lots of camp souvenirs please!" Kaminari shouted, tears beginning to flow from his own eyes as Uraraka attempted to help Midoryia rubbing his eyes from being poked.

Just as I had predicted, all hell was going to break loose soon as I entered the door.

"Guys! Please make sure to call me and tell me how it goes!" Ashido pleaded, putting her head on my shoulder.

"Don't use me as a tissue! Even if I am wearing a shirt under this!" I said. Though if I was being honest I didn't mind having Ashido put her head on my shoulder. Probably the closest thing I'd get to a hug...

 _Bad thoughts Mason! Bad!_ I thought to myself, chastising myself for even having such thoughts.

"Once the bell rings you should be in your seats," Aizawa said with a raised voice. We all sat in our seats silently, already having fled after hearing the door open. "Morning. Unfortunately, there are a few of you who did not pass your Final Exams. So when it comes to the training camp in the woods..." He began, the kicker already being expected. "Everyone is going!" He announced.

My jaw dropped. "You're pulling this crap again!?" I shouted while Sato, Ashido, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero rejoiced hearing the news.

"We really get to go to the camp!?" Kirishima asked.

"Seriously?" Ashido asked. From the sound of it she had started crying again, this time it sounded more like tears of joy.

"Yes. The good news is no one bombed the written exam, but five failed the practical badly. Two teams of course, then Sero failed as well." Uncle Shota explained.

"Crap! Menita might have gotten through the gate but I didn't do nearly enough to pass..." Sero said, burying his head in his hand.

"Allow me to explain. For the practical battles, the teachers left a way for the students to win. Otherwise, you never would have stood a chance. We were interested in seeing how you would work together and approach the task at hand."

"But didn't you promise the teachers wouldn't be holding back?" Ojior pointed out.

"That was just to get you on edge," Shota answered. "Besides the training camp will focus on building your strength. Those who failed needed those lessons the most. We were never going to separate you." He smiled his usual big old smile. "That was just a logical deception we used!"

 _Logical deception!? Again?!_ I thought to myself, remembering he did the exact same thing with the fitness test.

The four who failed began to cheer amongst themselves, while Iida seemed to have some bottled up emotions about being tricked. It was just the way Uncle Shota did things. A habit he developed from not being able to fight head-on.

Iida bolted up, raising his hand. "Mr. Aizawa this is the second time you've lied to us! Aren't afraid we'll lose faith in you!?"

"Uh, a little blunt there, Tenya," Uraraka said to him.

"That's a good point. I'll consider it. But I wasn't lying to you about everything. Failure is still failure," He said, giving Ashido, Sero, Sato, Kirishima, and Kaminari a cold gaze that made them stop in their celebrating. "We've prepared extra lessons for the five of you. Frankly, they'll be far tougher than what you'd face at summer school."

"At least we're able to go!" Ashido said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's worth the extra lessons to be with you guys!"

"Now that's out of the way, time to hand out the information on this trip. Don't think after Finals you're going to be able to relax. This is still a school, and you have work to do."

 _Oh well, hoping for a miracle doesn't hurt..._ I thought to myself, saddened that we weren't going to be given a break from school work after all.

* * *

Six periods of classes later and we were now at the end of the day, just waiting for the final bell for dismissal. Uncle Shota hadn't been kidding about us having to do work, however, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Finally, we had moved past Quadratic Formulas, something I couldn't wait to put behind me.

"This is great! I'm so glad we're all going together." Ojiro said, closing the guide we had been given on the Training Camp.

"Looks like we'll be at the Training Camp for a whole week!" Iida said. Was he surprised how long we were going to be there?

"Looks like I'll need to get a bigger suitcase."

"Yeah, I don't even have a bathing suit," Kaminari said to Midoriya and Iida. "Guess I need to buy some stuff."

"Guys since we have the day off tomorrow and finally finished exams, I have the best idea!" Hagakure said, grabbing my attention. "Why doesn't Class 1-A go shopping together?"

"Hey, yeah! We've never hung out as a class before!" Kaminari pointed out.

"Sounds like a solid idea," I said, agreeing with the concept. "Me and Ashido planned on doing some shopping between us, but the more the merrier, right?"

"Yeah!" Ashido said, pumping her fist in the air. "And we know just the place too!"

"Hey Bakugo, see ya there right?" Kirishima asked, the explosive blonde already making his way out of class.

"I can't think of anything more annoying."

* * *

Once everyone had agreed we all decided on the exact spot to go. Or rather, I guess you could say Ashido did. There was only one mall I had ever been to, and it turned out to to be the same place me and Ashido often hung out at.

"Man I love this place!" Ashido said, stretching her arms out, the sun hitting her pink skin. Today she was wearing her purple shirt that said "Pinky" on it, and blue jeans shorts. "It's got a ton of different stores to shop at and they're all super cool and hip! Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall!"

Even with the great number of times I'd been here with her, it never got old how big the place was. The others seemed to think as well as their eyes and heads moved around taking everything in. Especially Midoriya has he began to mutter about the vast services the place had for people with all types of Quirks.

"Midoriya, you're going to scare the children. Stop." Tokoyami said to him, making him snap out of it, his face redder than the spiral pattern on my black shirt.

"S-sorry..."

"Hey! Aren't those guys from U.A.?" Someone said. I looked over to see a bald man pointing at us. He looked just a bit older than we were. Possibly a college student.

"Yeah, Class 1-A!"

"I saw them on TV for the Sport's Festival! It was so good!" The three of them cheered.

"Haha, I can't believe they still remember that..." Uraraka said. Was she embarrassed because she had lost, or the fact she had pulled that one move that almost took out Bakugo?

"I keep forgetting that we're kinda famous, huh Mason?" Ashido said to me.

"Yeah." I agreed.

Iida then yelled about how "The guide said our shoes should already be broken in!" To which he then stopped and thought about it. "Wait, perhaps it's a mistake to factor utility into the equation..."

"In that case how about, we split up and look around?" Kirishima proposed. "We can meet here when we're done."

"Great idea!" Ashido said.

"All right, we make here around three?"

"Sounds good," We all said, Ashido grabbing me by the rest leading me somewhere.

"Come on Mason! You said you needed a bigger suitcase, right?"

"You remember that?!" I said.

"Of course! We planned on coming here with just the two of us, but everyone else being here is a plus! Plus..." She turned around, looking at me, and then gave me an all too knowing wink. "Tsuyu said you have something to tell me."

 _Shit._ I thought to myself.

Had Tsuyu found out about me and my dad?! Or was it she had a feeling I had a crush on Ashido and was trying to get me to confess away from everyone? If so, then Ashido had made an even better move by pulling me away to a spot where we were the only ones in our class at this store.

Problem was, which was it? Should I tell her that I had a crush on her, and wanted to ask her out? Or tell her about my family, so at least she would know and I wouldn't have to tell her after asking her out.

"Th-that so?" I said, trying to play it cool. Seems I'd have to come clean, after three months of hiding it from her.

"Yup! Now come on, what is it? Don't worry, I know you're not used to stuff like Camping Trips, so don't be afraid. Ask me-"

"It's less, asking and more," I said, cutting her off. I swallowed my saliva, and let out a deep breath.

"You okay, you seem stressed out."

"I guess you c-could say that." I agreed. "Ashido, I have something to tell you. I would've told you sooner, it's just, a really personal thing for me and my family. And I feel that it's not right to leave you in the dark when Hana already knows, and probably a few others in the class."

Her cheeks became red. She stepped back, and then back forward realizing what she did. "S-sorry I just... I thought you were going to say something else but form the sound of it, it wasn't what I was thinking!"

"What were you thinking it was?"

"Don't make a girl say it!" She said loudly, covering her mouth. "What is it you w-want to tell me? If you're this stressed out, just tell me! I won't think of you differently, no matter what it is."

Hearing that was what I needed to hear for me to finally get it out there. "Ashido, my dad was a Villain, and I'm his son."

With that, her mouth was left open in shock, and I stood there, waiting for whatever my judgment was about to be.

* * *

 **A/N: Strap in boys and girls! Red alert, we just went in with this one! The time for the truth has come, and boy is the roller coaster ride nothing but downhill from here! Not much to say about this chapter, other than see ya next week/upload!**

 **GreenD109: His motives will be revealed soon, but now it's time for this Villain stuff to get cleaned up. I feel it's about time Mason told not just one person, but everyone in his class.**

 **61394: Oh they would. It'd be bad if you threw a random person into the room as they two go at it. And if Saseru and Jishin do go at it, someone's gonna die. No contest.**

 **pokemonking0924: To answer the Recovery Girl question- Why can't she do the same to All Might's injury? The reasoning is that Recovery Girl is an easy button. A plot device that I don't feel would make the story good if used. That and it helps further down the road, especially after the new chapter that came out.**

 **D3lph0XL0v3r: Yeah, Saseru is essentially the main villain for Mason. And also Hana as well depending on how ya look at it.**

 **EnderBlazeHybrid: I understand what you're trying to say, but here's my spin and the path I'm trying to go with Mason. First, the number of people in classes. I added those two because I WANTED to. Chikara being Mason's rival of sorts, and Kami a yin to Chikara's yang. Why should Class 1-A get more students when it's supposed to be the "alpha" class, the one that's hard to get into? Second, he shows he's different, and says he's the same, because like or not- That's the truth. It's what has been pounded into him through his life that he's "going to be a villain like his dad". It's inner conflict. Third, he stepped back because he didn't deserve the win. First place is what brings the cash home, not third. He wants to be noticed the best way he can, and if giving up that medal makes someone happy, all the better. That's his personality. Not to mention, Iida got the shared place as well, so there's that. Last, his dad was added because the whole point of the exam was "putting them against otherwise difficult opponents". Anyone else saves for Cementoss would have been a cakewalk, and even then all Cementoss can control is _cement_. So what would the point be? I change canon sometimes, but you never know what will be a critical plot point or not. That's why I stick to the style I do. And I hope you enjoy the next chapters, thanks for letting me have this chance to respond to a review like this.**

 **To the preview for next episode now!**

 **"But you didn't even-"**

 **"We have to go! Midoriya is in trouble!"**

 **"I'm done being scared."**


	44. Chapter 44

"What?" Ashido said. Just from the sound of that single word I knew she thought I was lying, or she was speechless.

"My dad was a Villain, and I'm his son," I repeated. "Being a kid who liked to be alone... It was a lie. My dad robbed a bank, and because of that people wanted nothing to do with me. I was nothing but 'trash that didn't belong with those who wanted to be Heroes'. I even got into fights because people were sick of how I kept on going about my life, acting like it didn't happen."

"So they didn't like you just because your dad happened to be a Villain? But you didn't even-"

"Exactly," I said, agreeing with her. "I didn't do a single thing, but to them just being his son was enough. I had to transfer to three different schools because of teachers giving me unfair treatment or students hearing about my dad and wanting to fight 'the son of a villain'. I hated it. Having to fight people I didn't want to fight, being constantly judged for something I didn't even do. So I made sure my grades were better than everyone's in all my classes and applied to U.A. I hoped that by doing so I'd finally be free, and laugh at them when they saw I turned out the exact opposite they thought I would. Instead of being a Villain, I'd become a Hero." I explained to her. "I'd be _me_."

"So that's why you reminded me of him."

"Huh?" I said, confused.

"I have a friend who's just like you. He might seem tough and all, but on the inside, he has a lot of emotions and self-doubt bottled up, and doesn't know how to deal with his problems." Ashido said, walking towards me. She didn't seem the least bit fazed at all by what I said. "What's different though is you seem to be dealing with your problems better than he is." She took my hand in her own and looked at me. "Just because your dad did something, and happens to be a Villain, doesn't mean you should let it dictate how you act! Even if others try to force their image of you on you, you're _you_. Only _you_ can dictate who you are."

"I know that. It's because of that I wanted to tell you. You're one of the first people that were actually nice to me. It was kind of a culture shock really when you invited me to sit next to you if I'm being honest. You've become a close friend to me, and I've been wanting to tell you for a while. It's just..." My hands subconsciously tightened into fists. I noticed, and let them relax. "I was afraid of what you would think of me. Or if you'd even _believe me_. Stupid as it sounds, it's still a fear I had. That I still have."

"Mason..." She smiled. "What kind of friend would I be if I judged someone over something like that? So what if your dad was a Villain! Are _you?"_

"Well, no," I said plainly.

"There ya go," She said, turning around and taking a few steps. "Unlike those guys, I actually got to know you. I didn't know anything about your family, or any of this. All I've seen is a cool, funny guy with a powerful Quirk try and become a Hero, and he doesn't let anything bother him! But on the inside, you have a lot bothering you. So as your friend I should help you instead of distancing myself, right? It's not your fault after all. So what if your dad was a Villain? He isn't you, and even if he is, whatever reason he robbed that bank had to have been for a good reason. He's too nice! Just like you are too."

"Thank you, Ashido," I said, feeling my emotions welling up inside. "I was afraid you'd hate me. It's just that part of-"

"I understand," Ashido said, walking forward. What exactly was she about to do? "In a way, it makes going out with you every Sunday and day off even more worth it! Knowing that they were fresh experiences I got to make with you and that you got to experience what it's like to have a friend for once... It makes me happy."

The next thing Ashido did was what I least expected for her to do. As if it was natural she put her arms around me for a hug, a bit awkward since I was a good head taller than her. Even then, it was a warm, nice feeling to be hugged by her. Calming even.

"Ashido you know you're-"

"Shut up. As your friend, it's my job to be by your side and help you when you need it, including comforting you. I'm just doing my job!" She said with her usual cheerfulness. "It was hard, wasn't it?" She asked me.

"Yeah," I said, feeling sad, but at the same time happy. "But it was worth it. You, Hana, Midoriya, Iida, Tsuyu, Sero, Kirishima, and everyone else. I've had some of the most fun in my life with you guys. Knowing at least you and Hana have my back when I tell everyone, it gives me courage. I can finally move on from all of this crap."

"Good!" She let go of me and began to look around with her hand over her eyes as if she was sightseeing. It made me laugh a little. "Now, how about we get you that suitcase, and later, you tell everyone what you told me? Like you said, it's time to move on from it! And if anyone has a problem with it, I'll sort 'em out real quick!" She did a few moc punches, before turning back to see me laughing. Within a few seconds, we were both laughing.

"So, Ashido," I began to ask. "What did you think I was gonna ask you?"

"N-nothing! Nothing at all!" She nervously laughed. "I just felt you had something bugging you, and so did Tsuyu, and she thought since I know you so well I'd be able to get it out of you, haha..."

"Come on Pinky," I said, grabbing her by the hand. "We still got a suitcase to find, along with whatever you need! Let's go!"

"Sure thing!"

* * *

 _ **Ashido's POV**_

 _I can't believe I thought he was going to ask me out! Stupid stupid stupid!_ I thought to myself, trying to not let the blush creeping on my cheeks show.

Sure, I liked him, but why was I so happy that I caught him off-guard!? Sure lying and saying Tsuyu said he wanted to talk to me was a good move, but hearing how hard Mason had it... It made me sad for him.

All this time I thought he just happened to be like those kids who, as he said, who preferred to stick to themselves. Being looked at as the same as your dad just because he was a Villain though? What kind of jerk does that?! He wasn't that kind of person at all.

He was a nice person. An extremely nice person, yet people still treated him like that? It made me wish I had been there for him. At least then he would've had someone to help him through the years. He wouldn't have been so alone.

Helping him pick out stuff for the trip made me happy though. He seemed to have a brighter smile than before. Usually, it'd seem like he wanted to tell me something whenever we hung out, but it seems he finally did now.

It felt like he was easier to talk to now, instead of guessing how to open up a conversation with him.

Maybe I should ask him right here right now? It seemed like a good idea. After all, he probably had a good idea that I liked him, and from how he acted when I hugged him, no doubt he had feelings too. Or at least, he probably just needed some comfort after telling me about his secret.

Was it the fact he wanted me to know about his dad having been a Villain that was stopping him? It would make sense. All he had gone through, he wouldn't exactly be willing to ask out a girl with his usual gusto. Yet he didn't have a problem grabbing my hand, something that made my heart jump.

"Hey Ashido, this good for a suitcase?" He asked me, holding it up.

"How much are you bringing for the trip?" I asked back. Depending on how many clothes he was bringing, and whatever else, he might need one bigger.

"Change of clothes for each day, toothbrush, comb, hairbrush-"

"Hairbrush?"

"How else am I going to maintain this glorious mane of mine? _Merci._ " He took his hair and flipped it while making a face reminding me of Aoyama. It was him saying "Merci" that sold it.

I couldn't keep my laugh in as Mason put down the suitcase. He was a goofball, but an extremely loveable goofball. Being able to make me laugh was one of the reasons I liked him so much.

Maybe this Camping Trip was going to be more fun than I thought.

* * *

At the end of our trip, we had gotten me a suitcase, some new socks, and Ashido had gotten herself some boots for hiking and bug-spray. She was quite adamant about buying it in case there were mosquitos in the forest.

We were about to get some drinks when both our phones rang. I took mine out, looking at the screen to see it was a message from Uraraka. I unlocked it and looked to see what exactly it was. Before I even got to look at it Ashido grabbed me by the arm, leading me in a rush somewhere.

"We have to go! Midoriya is in trouble!" She said, concern flooding out of her voice.

"What happened?!" I asked her.

"Some guy was choking him and left! All I know is Ochaco wants us there right now!"

Hearing what was going on I freed myself from her grip and ran along-side her, looking around for the broccoli head and brown-haired girl. Hopefully, nothing bad had happened to the extent of him needing a hospital visit.

I then moved to the side, almost tackling a man in a black hoodie. "Sorry man!" I said, hopping on one foot to avoid him before I caught up to Ashido, and to everyone else as Midoriya sat down next to a tree, his eyes bloodshot.

Uraraka sat next to him, looking worried as everyone was either checking up on him, just arriving, or looking at me and Ashido arriving. Kirishima looked at me, nodding.

"Good thing you guys are here sucks that our trip had to go downhill like this..." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

"What even happened? I saw the message but..." Jiro said, sounding confused.

"Shigaraki had his hand on Deku's throat," Uraraka explained. "I had left him alone because I had to go the bathroom, and couldn't find him. When I did though, he was talking to him about something. He had a bad vibe about him, and then I saw his hand..."

"Who's Shigaraki?" I asked, not knowing anyone of that name.

"He was..." Midoriya began, standing up. "At the USJ, Mason. He was the guy with the hands all over his body. He came out of nowhere, and could've killed me at any time." He clenched his right hand, looking down. "All he did was talk to me about why everyone is talking about Stain, and why no one is saying anything about him. I would've done something, but... Using innocent lives as a bargaining chip like that... "

"He was the one who hurt Uncle Shota, wasn't he?"

Midoriya looked up at me, nodding. All that did was make form a tight fist, my nails burying into my skin. "Where'd he go? How long ago was it? If we call the cops we can have them cut him off if they act fast enough." I said. No way could I catch up to him right now. After all, if he was smart he'd have a perfect route for getting out of here, meaning me chasing after him would be useless.

Even then, what could I do? I couldn't use my Quirk unless for self-defense, and more than likely Shigaraki would know that and use it to his advantage. I was getting angry for nothing at that point, but still, I couldn't let that anger go.

"I already called," Uraraka said. "They should be here any minute now."

There wasn't really much any of us could do at that moment, other than wait. Even then all we could do was answer any questions the police had, the only familiar face had been one in a tan trenchcoat with combed black hair. Officer Tsukauchi, the same officer who had questioned us after the USJ incident.

When asked about his appearance, Midoriya and Uraraka had described him as pale, white hair, but what stuck out to me the most was he had been wearing a black hoodie. That one feature was what made my blood freeze.

The same person I almost ran into, could it have been Shigaraki? Just the mere thought of it made me want to turn around and head back in the direction he had been heading.

If there was anyone I wanted to hurt in this world, it was him. After what he had done to Uncle Shota, even if the Nomu had done most of the damage, it was still unacceptable. The only thing stopping me right now was the fact he was probably anywhere _but_ the mall right now. Far away from the authorities reach.

"Alright, Midoriya we'll ask you further questions at the police station, the rest of you, we've contacted your parents. Save for Mason Ishi and Mina Ashido, the rest of you will have to wait here for them to come to pick you up. We haven't been able to contact your parents yet." Tsukauchi said.

"We can just take the train." I proposed to him. "It might be a bit unsafe, but it's better than waiting around if it's taking this long."

"You sure about that? I could have an officer give you two a ride to your houses."

"No, we'll be fine!" Ashido said, putting her hands up. "Plus my parents would kinda freak if a police officer was giving me a ride home after being out with friends."

"Well... Just be safe then." He tipped his hat off to us as we left, the others saying goodbye.

"Why did you want to take the train home?" Ashido asked me, once we had left the mall.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't know. Guess I just wanted to talk with you some more. We wouldn't really be able to talk freely if we were stuck in that car."

"Kind of a weird way of looking at it."

"Well I'm kinda weird anyway," I pointed out.

"So what is it you want to talk to me about?"

"Mostly how things are gonna go from here. I'm prepared to tell everyone, it's just when and how that's on my mind. I was originally going to tell you during the camp since we'd have a better chance of being alone and no one hearing about it." I explained.

"Yeah that's gonna be a tough one," She agreed. "You could just always say it in class ya know. It might be sudden, but at least it'll be done and over with, right?"

"True. Or," I pulled out my phone, getting an idea. "I could do it this way."

Her yellow-black eyes lit up. "It would get it done easily, and you wouldn't have to wait. I think we should wait until tomorrow though, especially after what's happened today..."

"Yeah, good call," I said. "So, within the many levels of friends, when does it become close, and when does it become 'more than friends'? Because I think we might have crossed the line with that one more than allowed today..."

With reddened cheeks, she looked away, puffing her cheeks out. "I know you tease sometimes but that's just low! As for your answer," She faced me with a big smile on her face, grabbing my hand. "You'll have to find that out for yourself. For now, let's get home before our parents hear the news..."

* * *

Safe to say I wasn't the least bit lucky. My mom was extremely protective of me as her only son. Especially after the past events that had happened over the past three months.

She sat in her chair in the living room, drinking what was either coffee or a bitter smelling tea. It reminded me all too well of those movies where the kids would be out late at a party, only to come home, try sneaking in under the cover of darkness, the light suddenly turning on and their parents sitting in a chair with a look that said "I know what you did tonight, and boy are you in trouble".

"So why didn't you call me for me or your father to pick you up?" She asked me, taking a sip of her drink.

I set down my boots, and my backpack and newly bought suitcase. "Well, you see... Me and Ashido needed to talk about some stuff. And in my selfishness to talk to my friend, I forgot to call you, Mom."

"What did you two talk about? Did you ask her out, or perhaps you were making plans for next weekend?"

"No... I told her about our situation."

She spat out her tea, looking at the floor with a somber look as it fell to the floor. "Don't do that to me!"

"Sorry, but she kinda cornered me. I felt it was necessary since she's a close friend of mine, Mom. I plan on sending a message to everyone in my class, it's time for me to come clean. I'm done being scared." I showed my phone, waving it around. "I'm ready to move forward."

Mom got up from her chair, avoiding the spill on the floor, and brought me into a hug. "I'm proud of you. If not for your dad being with Choryu getting groceries right now, he'd probably be squeezing us to death right now."

"Thanks, Mom."

"You've been growing up so fast, you know that? I remember when you were just a little baby, and I wondered. 'How am I going to raise this child to be a great human being?'. Yet you've grown up so much that it makes feel like I haven't done anything at all..."

"That's not true, you've done a lot Mom. Without you, I'd probably be out on the streets doing who knows what. You instilled morals in me, and also taught me a thing or five about cooking. You're a great Mom."

"And you're a great son." She said, before letting me go. "Now, when you are inviting her over?"

"MOM! Too early for that..."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for no chapter last week. High School Graduation is this Sunday, and I've been having to prep my speech. Go, Valedictorian! Anyways, this has to be one of my favorite chapters. It may not be long like those with fights between Mason and the Antagonist of said chapter or arc, but it gives me that nice feeling. One of letting go of the past, and finally moving forward so you can enjoy life and better yourself. Not to mention, it "technically" starts Mason and Ashido starting to look at things between them as more than "just friends". That line took me like two hours to come up with. Now, hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did and see you all maybe soon with a new chapter ;) To the reviews!**

 **D3lph0xL0v3r: Only time will tell if Jishin ever goes past his parole. That and Saseru is going to be a big part of this story. After all, he's a major reason why most of Mason's life was kind of crappy.**

 **EnderBlazeHybrid: While Jishin might be able to make weapons like Mason, the shaping is more like sandpaper to wood if you will. Jishin can knock the shape out of stone for what he needs, but Mason can fine-tune them on a larger scale. Sharpen them a bit, smooth out the coarse texture and surface for a better grip, stuff like that. It's less arduous than say, focusing on every grain of sand just so your spear's head is nice and sharp.**

 **Professor Writer: Thanks, man. I always sort of saw Tsuyu as the one to say "Am I the only one who knew those two were going to get together? It was obvious." if anyone in the class was in a relationship. She's very observative, and not to mention blunt. Which can make for both scenes with comedy, and when someone needs to be told something straight.**

 **pokemongking0924: Didn't exactly go into detail with all the Villain stuff for Mason's dad. Mostly because Ashido could care less. She's seen Mason as again, this "cool, funny guy with a powerful Quirk try and become a Hero, and he doesn't let anything bother him!". So when he drops this bombshell, it makes her see that he's got baggage, and wanting to comfort her friend as they tell the one person they trust this secret. That and Jishin's reason is going to be a later plot point I'm saving. Decided throwing in some extra Mason x Ashido moments would be good.**

 **NightCoreAssassin: Thanks man, I try my best with this story. It's been a great journey writing Diamond in the Rough, one I hope to keep going so long as MHA does. Maybe even give it some more as well depending on what Horikoshi does when everything is over.**

 **To the previews of next chapter!**

 **"I want to get stronger, and you're better for me to train against since your dad is too strong."**

 **"Don't worry! It'll feel like nothing once I get back!**

 **"Damn, that's heavy."**

 **"At the Training Camp. Let's do our best."**

 **Time for the Poooool Episooooode! Also, let part 3, officially begin! Game Start!**


	45. Where I Have Been

It has been a very, very long time hasn't it everyone? Too much time, to be honest. As you all know I basically dropped off the face of the Earth around summer of last year or so. This being due to, my entering college. However it did not work out well for me, so I instead got a job in my hometown.

There is both good news, and bad news. The good news is that I will be making a return to my writing roots and my stories that a few of you have loved since I last started in 2017.

The bad news, is that I will not be able to continue Diamond in the Rough, or MDNT. Both have left me with... Mixed feelings. Too long have I stood away from either project. Even my interest in RWBY and BNHA has dwindled down considerably in the past months as college didn't allow me to have time to indulge in such writing. So now, comes the hard part.

Finding out what writing will interest me, and allow me to get back into my old swing of things. Some of you will be sad, I know. These two series are the ones I'm most known for and have tried my best to put out. But, I don't want to continue a project with barely any motivation and heart, instead of finding something I CAN put my heart into. Expect an update on my main profile in the coming weeks of what I shall be doing. For now, see you all next time.


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